Morning Prayer: What are Sechem and Succoth?

 


Shechem and Succoth are “bookend places” in Israel’s story — one on the western side of the Jordan, one on the eastern — and together they signal God’s claim over the whole land. In today’s prayer, when they appear side‑by‑side (as in Psalms 60 and 108), they aren’t random geography; they’re shorthand for covenant history, identity, and divine sovereignty.

🜁 Shechem — the covenant crossroads

Shechem sits in the hill country of Ephraim between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. It is one of the most layered sites in the Old Testament:

  • Abraham’s first altar in Canaan (Genesis 12:6–7).

  • Jacob’s purchased parcel and altar, marking his return to the land (Genesis 33:18–20).

  • Joseph’s bones buried there, tying the Exodus back to the patriarchs (Joshua 24:32).

  • Joshua’s covenant renewal between Gerizim and Ebal (Joshua 8; 24).

  • A city of refuge, a place of mercy (Joshua 20:7).

  • The site of political fracture, where Rehoboam’s coronation split the kingdom (1 Kings 12:1).

Shechem symbolizes identity, covenant, and the heartland — the place where Israel repeatedly recommits itself to God.

🜂 Succoth — the frontier shelters

Succoth lies east of the Jordan near the Jabbok River. Its name means booths or shelters:

  • Jacob builds shelters there after wrestling with God at Peniel (Genesis 33:17).

  • A place of transition during the Exodus — Israel’s first encampment after leaving Egypt (Exodus 12:37).

  • Gideon’s men refused aid there, leading to judgment (Judges 8:5–16).

  • Temple bronze was cast there, linking it to Israel’s worship life (1 Kings 7:46).

Succoth represents the margins — the borderlands, the places that feel far from the center but are still held firmly within God’s care.

Why they matter together

In Psalms 60 and 108, God says:

“I will divide Shechem and measure out the Valley of Succoth.” This pairing is deliberate:

  • Shechem = West

  • Succoth = East

Together they form a symbolic map of the whole promised land. When God names them, He is declaring:

  • Total ownership — every border, every tribe, every frontier belongs to Him.

  • Covenant continuity — the God of Abraham and Jacob still governs the land they walked.

  • Reassurance in crisis — David quotes this divine speech to steady a shaken nation.


Read more Morning Prayer posts: MSI Press Blog

Note about Morning Prayer: Each morning prayer post reflects on one phrase from the Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. which can be found in the iBreviary (a downloadable app), Universalis (website) or Divine Office (publication and website). Post may be assisted by AI in image generation and content (research and/or wording).

Morning Prayer posts inspired by Being Catholic in Troubled Times (Dennis Ortman)

Book Description:

These are times that try our souls. This book is addressed to all, not just Catholics, who search for deeper meaning in tough times. Our age is marked by division and alienation. We long for some message that will bring peace to our world and our hearts.

This book suggests that the Catholic faith can provide strength in these troubled times. The word "catholic" means "all-embracing, universal." Nothing is excluded in the catholic mind. The truth that sets us free can be found everywhere, especially in unexpected places. It is often hidden in plain sight. In our darkest moments, we find new light and life. When we are most despairing, a ray of hope shines through.



Dr. Dennis Ortman, former priest and current psychologist, is the author of Anger Anonymous, Anxiety Anonymous, Depression Anonymous, Being Catholic in Troubled Times, and Life, Liberty, and COVID-19.


For more posts by and about Dennis and his award-winning books, click HERE.



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