4:5 Sychar. Sychar was near ancient Shechem, where Jacob had bought land from Hamor, Shechem’s father. Later, Joseph had been buried there (Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32). It was not far from the capital of the province of Samaria and also near Mount Gerizim, the worship center of the Samaritans (John 4:20). Samaria, Judaea and Galilee were all Roman provinces at this time, but Jerusalem and Samaria had formerly (before the exile) been the capitals of Judah and Israel, the southern and northern kingdoms, respectively.