Lexical Summary Gerizim: Gerizim Original Word: גְּרִזִים Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Gerizim Plural of an unused noun from garaz (compare Gizriy), cut up (i.e. Rocky); Gerizim, a mountain of Palestine -- Gerizim. see HEBREW garaz see HEBREW Gizriy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom garaz Definition a mountain in N. Isr. NASB Translation Gerizim (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs גְּרִזִּים proper name, of a location mountain in Northern Israel, south of Sichem (Nabulus), opposite Ebal (עֵיבָל), which was on north; only ׳הַר ג Deuteronomy 11:29; Deuteronomy 27:12; Joshua 8:33; Judges 9:7; modern Jebel et‰-ˆôr RobBR ii. 274 ff. BdPal 220, 222. גרטל (possibly quadriliteral √, whence followed with א prosthetic compare however below) Topical Lexicon Name and Location Mount Gerizim rises on the southern side of the valley that cradles ancient Shechem (modern-day Nablus) in the hill country of Ephraim. Facing Mount Ebal directly across the narrow pass, Gerizim forms a natural amphitheater over the city and commands a strategic view of the central trade routes that cross the land. At nearly 2,850 feet (868 m) above sea level, its slopes are fertile, receiving ample rainfall from the western winds that climb its terraced flanks. Biblical Occurrences 1. Deuteronomy 11:29 first mentions the mountain when Moses instructs Israel to “proclaim the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.” Covenant Blessings on Gerizim Deuteronomy 11 and 27 set Gerizim apart as the mountain of blessing. While Mount Ebal symbolized the consequences of disobedience, Gerizim embodied the life and prosperity promised to a faithful nation. The physical distinction between the greener, more cultivated southern slope (Gerizim) and the rockier northern slope (Ebal) reinforced the contrast between blessing and curse. During the covenant ceremony in Joshua 8, “half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal” listened as every word of the Law was read (Joshua 8:33). The Levites turned alternately toward the two hills, proclaiming the ordinances so that the echoing slopes carried the words throughout the assembled nation. Gerizim therefore served as both platform and preacher, amplifying the declaration that obedience brings blessing. Jotham’s Parable and Prophetic Warning After Abimelech slaughtered his brothers to seize power in Shechem, the sole survivor, Jotham, “climbed on top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and called out” (Judges 9:7). From the very mountain of blessing he pronounced a warning that faithlessness to covenant principles would invite destruction. The subsequent downfall of Abimelech and the turmoil in Shechem validated Jotham’s words, underlining again that Gerizim’s blessing is inseparable from fidelity to the Lord. Later Historical Developments Following the Assyrian exile of the Northern Kingdom, the mixed population that became known as Samaritans adopted Gerizim as their sacred site. According to Josephus and later Samaritan traditions, Sanballat built a rival temple there in the late fourth century BC, contending that Gerizim, not Jerusalem, was the true place chosen by God. This dispute still lingered in the first century AD, surfacing in the conversation between the Samaritan woman and Jesus: “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain” (John 4:20). Archaeological remains of large platforms and fortifications on the summit corroborate the existence of significant cultic structures during the Persian and Hellenistic periods. Theological and Ministry Reflections 1. Covenant Witness: Gerizim’s role in the blessing-and-curse ceremony highlights the biblical principle that divine favor is tied to wholehearted obedience (compare Deuteronomy 28). The mountain stands as a visual reminder that life and prosperity lie before every generation, awaiting a deliberate choice (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). Summary Mount Gerizim is the biblical mountain of blessing, the stage for Israel’s covenant renewal, a prophetic lookout warning of judgment, and later the disputed center of Samaritan worship. Its scriptural testimony reinforces the enduring message that covenant blessings flow from obedience, pointing forward to the redemption accomplished in Jesus Christ, in whom every promise of God finds its “Yes.” Forms and Transliterations גְּרִזִ֔ים גרזים gə·ri·zîm geriZim gərizîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 11:29 HEB: עַל־ הַ֣ר גְּרִזִ֔ים וְאֶת־ הַקְּלָלָ֖ה NAS: on Mount Gerizim and the curse KJV: upon mount Gerizim, and the curse INT: on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Deuteronomy 27:12 Joshua 8:33 Judges 9:7 4 Occurrences |
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