'Shechem,' as in Genesis 37:12, signifies earliest basics of the doctrine concerning faith. The earliest basics are also the common, or general, principles of doctrinal things. These common, or general, principles are what are received first. Special, or particular, principles follow afterwards.

In Genesis 12:6, 'Abram's passing through the land unto the place Shechem' signifies a new state of the Lord when the celestial aspects of love first appeared to Him which is what Shechem signifies. This is the first stop in the land of Canaan, when coming from Syria, or Haran.

'Shechem' the son of Hamor in Genesis 34:2 signifies the truth of the church from ancient times.

In Genesis 33:17-20, Psalms 60:6-8 and 108:7-9, Shechem signifies the first dawn of light.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 1441, Genesis 6; Joshua 1, 7, 20, 20:7, 21, 21:21, 24:1, 24, 24:25)

1441. That these things are meant by 'Shechem' becomes clear also from the fact that Shechem is so to speak the first stopping-place in the land of Canaan that one comes to when journeying from Syria, or Haran. And since 'the land of Canaan' means the celestial things of love it is clear that 'Shechem' means the first stage in the appearance of celestial things. When Jacob returned from Haran to the land of Canaan he likewise came to Shechem, as becomes clear from the following,

Jacob travelled on to Succoth and built a house for himself, and made shelters ¹ for his cattle; therefore he called the name of the place Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-Aram; and he camped before the city. And he set up an altar there. Genesis 33:17-20.

Here also 'Shechem' means the first appearance of light. In David,

God has spoken in His holiness, I will exult, I will divide up Shechem and portion out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and Ephraim is the strength of My head, Judah is My lawgiver, Moab is My washbasin, upon Edom I will cast My shoe, over Philistia I will make a loud noise. Psalms 60:6, 8; 108:7, 9.

Here also 'Shechem' has a similar meaning. That names, including Shechem therefore, mean nothing other than real things becomes quite clear from these prophetic utterances of David. Otherwise they would be scarcely more than a heap of names. References to Shechem becoming a city of refuge, Joshua 20:7, and also a priestly city, Joshua 21:21, and a place where the covenant was made, Joshua 24:1, 25, also embody the same.

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