Topical Bible: Worship: On Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal

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Topical Encyclopedia

Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal hold significant places in biblical history, particularly in the context of worship and covenant renewal for the Israelites. These two mountains are located in the region of Samaria, near the ancient city of Shechem, and they serve as a backdrop for a pivotal moment in Israel's journey into the Promised Land.

Biblical Context

The primary biblical account involving Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal is found in the Book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Joshua. In Deuteronomy 11:29 , Moses instructs the Israelites: "And when the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal." This directive is part of the covenant renewal ceremony that the Israelites were to perform upon entering Canaan.

In Deuteronomy 27, Moses further details the instructions for this ceremony. The Israelites were to set up large stones coated with plaster on Mount Ebal and inscribe the words of the law on them (Deuteronomy 27:2-3). An altar was also to be built on Mount Ebal for burnt offerings and peace offerings (Deuteronomy 27:5-7).

Ceremony of Blessings and Curses

The ceremony itself is described in Joshua 8:30-35. Joshua leads the Israelites in fulfilling Moses' command. Half of the tribes stand on Mount Gerizim to pronounce blessings, while the other half stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses, as prescribed in Deuteronomy 27:12-13 . This event underscores the covenant relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing obedience to God's law as the path to blessing, while disobedience leads to curses.

Theological Significance

Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal symbolize the dual aspects of the covenant: blessing and curse. The physical act of standing on these mountains and proclaiming the blessings and curses served as a tangible reminder of the choices set before the Israelites. It highlighted the importance of obedience to God's commandments and the consequences of turning away from His statutes.

The choice of these two mountains is also significant. Mount Gerizim, associated with blessings, is lush and fertile, while Mount Ebal, associated with curses, is more barren. This geographical contrast visually reinforced the spiritual message of the covenant.

Historical and Cultural Impact

In later history, Mount Gerizim became a central place of worship for the Samaritans, who built a temple there, rivaling the temple in Jerusalem. This Samaritan focus on Mount Gerizim is evident in the New Testament, where the Samaritan woman at the well refers to it in her conversation with Jesus: "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem" (John 4:20).

The worship on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal serves as a profound reminder of the covenantal relationship between God and His people, illustrating the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. These mountains stand as enduring symbols of the choices that lie before every believer, calling them to a life of faithfulness and devotion to God.

Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 8:32-35
And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Samaria. Sychem.
... And afterward, "In mount Gerizim are fountains and paradises: but mount Ebal is
dry ... came to him: to whom he said, 'I see that ye do not worship to that ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 56 samaria sychem.htm

Jesus at the Well.
... recognized Jerusalem as the seat of divine worship, they were ... miles, north of Jerusalem,
and was situated between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, the Mounts ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus at the well.htm

Jesus at the Well of Sychar
... All her life long she had heard that Gerizim was the mount of worship, the holy
hill which the waters of the Flood had never covered, [1995] and that ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter viii jesus at the.htm

In Jud??a and through Samaria - a Sketch of Samaritan History and ...
... to the Samaritans of the better worship in spirit ... history of Israel - and on Mount
Gerizim, which in ... Pentateuch was substituted for Mount Ebal in Deuteronomy 27 ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vii in judaea and.htm

The Last Judgment. By the Rev. John Welch, AD 1570-1622.
... him that sits on the throne, and worship him that ... And this is not the blessing of
mount Gerizim, but that ... it is nothing to the curse of the mount Ebal, but it ...
/.../knox/the pulpit of the reformation nos 1 2 and 3 /the last judgment by the.htm

The Land and the People.
... the well of the water of life and instructed her in the true spiritual worship of
God; and the surrounding landscape, Mount Gerizim, and Mount Ebal, the town ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 17 the land and.htm

The Struggler;
... broadside] 7. The four last things (3 Impressions), 8. Mount Ebal and Gerizim, 9.
Prison ... the superstitious man is confounded in his way of worship, as were ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the struggler.htm

John.
... decay, at the foot of Gerizim and Ebal: there is ... the Samaritan sanctuary on the top
of Mount Gerizim, there the ... the hot dispute of the place of worship to the ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 83 john.htm

"In the Volume of the Book it is Written of Me" (Heb. . .
... king, but that he also instituted a new and idolatrous system of worship. ... 6), or
pillar, which Joshua erected in Ebal (facing Gerizim), the mount where all ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in the volume of the.htm

Paul's Departure and Crown;
... warning, to be carried away to prison, or to be murdered, privately or publicly,
for refusing submission to civil governors in matters of faith or worship. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/pauls departure and crown.htm