Why does Deuteronomy 27:4 specify Mount Ebal for the altar instead of Mount Gerizim, and is there any historical or textual contradiction behind this location? Background and Setting Deuteronomy 27:4 states, “And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal as I am commanding you today, and coat them with plaster.” This instruction can strike readers as curious because Mount Gerizim is typically associated with blessings (Deuteronomy 27:12) while Mount Ebal is associated with curses (Deuteronomy 27:13). The choice of Mount Ebal for the altar has led some to question whether there is a contradiction or an error in the text. However, a careful look at ancient manuscripts and archaeological findings indicates there is longstanding textual reliability and significant symbolic meaning in establishing the altar of the LORD on Mount Ebal. Below is a comprehensive study exploring why the altar was directed to be built on Mount Ebal, the relationship between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, and the assurance that there is no historical or textual contradiction surrounding this location. 1. The Context of Deuteronomy 27 Deuteronomy contains final instructions given to the Israelites before they enter Canaan. In Deuteronomy 27, Moses instructs the people regarding a covenant-renewal ceremony once they have crossed the Jordan. Verses 2–3 emphasize setting up large stones and covering them with plaster for the writing of the Law. Specifically, verse 4 directs the people to set up these stones on Mount Ebal. This event is closely connected to the blessings and curses of the covenant (Deuteronomy 27–28). Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal stand opposite each other near Shechem, creating a natural amphitheater for the ceremony. The tribes were to be divided: half would proclaim blessings from Mount Gerizim, and half would affirm curses from Mount Ebal. The altar’s presence at Mount Ebal served a particular theological and symbolic purpose. 2. Symbolic Function of Mount Ebal 1. Holy Statement Amid Curses Mount Ebal was designated as the mountain upon which curses for disobedience would be pronounced (Deuteronomy 27:13). Placing the altar on Ebal underscores the central message that redemption (through sacrifices) is needed precisely where the curse of disobedience is declared. In other words, where sin and its penalty are highlighted, atonement and restoration through an altar are also offered (compare Romans 3:23–24). 2. Contrasts of Covenant Faithfulness Mount Gerizim’s association with blessing does not necessitate that the altar be placed there. Instead, the altar on Ebal visually and ceremonially reminds the community that divine provision (through the sacrificial system) stands in the midst of human transgression. The solemn responsibility to uphold the covenant law is placed directly where obedience and disobedience are contrasted. 3. Unifying the Nation at Shechem Shechem, located between Ebal and Gerizim, held historical significance going back to Abraham’s time (Genesis 12:6–7) and Jacob’s well (John 4:5). By conducting a covenant-renewal ceremony there, the people were turning their attention to God’s covenant promises and the warnings tied to them. 3. Archaeological and Historical Support 1. Adam Zertal’s Excavations Excavations in the 1980s led by archaeologist Adam Zertal uncovered a structure on Mount Ebal that some scholars identify as an ancient Israelite altar. The site, dated to around the period of the Israelite conquest, includes a large rectangular platform and associated features consistent with early sacrificial practices. While not all archaeologists unanimously agree on the identification, many view this as supporting evidence of an early Israelite altar on Mount Ebal. 2. Ancient Manuscripts and Versions • Masoretic Text (MT): The standard Hebrew text of Deuteronomy 27:4 clearly names Mount Ebal as the site where the altar is to be built. • Samaritan Pentateuch: This version replaces Ebal with Gerizim, aligning with Samaritan theological beliefs that Mount Gerizim is the holy mountain. However, outside of the Samaritan Pentateuch, other ancient textual witnesses (including the Septuagint in several manuscripts) agree with the Masoretic reading of Mount Ebal. 3. Geographical Suitability Mount Ebal is the higher mountain of the two, and visually a more imposing northern slope. Historically, altars and commemorative monuments often were placed in a location that could remind the onlooking community of the solemn gravity of worship and covenant obligation. The directions given by Moses necessitated that these stones and the attached inscriptions be visible as part of the covenant identity. 4. Addressing Claims of Contradiction 1. No Evidence of Transcription Error The consistency of the Masoretic Text, the Dead Sea Scrolls fragments (though fragmentary for some passages), and other early textual references show no credible manuscript tradition supporting that Deuteronomy 27:4 originally stated Mount Gerizim. The Samaritan Pentateuch adjustment is widely recognized as a sectarian emphasis on Gerizim. 2. Consistency With Broader Narrative Joshua 8:30–31 recounts the fulfillment of Moses’ instruction: “At that time Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.” This direct fulfillment underscores the lack of contradiction, for the Bible itself consistently affirms Mount Ebal as the altar’s site. 3. Theological Coherence Within the broader context of the blessings and curses, the choice of Mount Ebal for the altar stands out powerfully: the place of the curse and of the people’s failure to keep the covenant is precisely where the means of restoration is placed. This thematic unity reinforces the significance of redemption even amid waywardness (compare Leviticus 16:16–19). 5. Importance for Understanding the Covenant Ceremony 1. Public Display of the Law The plastered stones inscribed with the Law (Deuteronomy 27:2–3) ensured that the people would have a visual and permanent witness to their covenant obligations. The altar on Ebal, adjacent to these commemorative stones, highlighted the terms of the covenant in a single location. 2. Covenant Ratification The assembled tribes were able to see and participate—one side proclaiming blessings, the other responding with “Amen” to the curses (Deuteronomy 27:14–26). This pivotal event in Israel’s history was a visible enactment of covenant responsibilities, binding the nation to obedience. 3. Future Generations’ Reminder The altar on Ebal and the stones inscribed with the Law would remain as a memorial for future generations, reminding them of the seriousness of God’s commandments and the consistent need for atonement (Joshua 8:32–35). 6. Conclusion Deuteronomy 27:4’s inclusion of Mount Ebal for the altar, rather than Mount Gerizim, is purposeful and bears no contradiction when considered in the broader biblical and historical context. The textual witness of the Hebrew Masoretic Text, the archaeological discoveries at Mount Ebal, and the internal biblical consistency (spanning from Deuteronomy to Joshua) affirm the reliability of this location. Far from an error, the directive underscores a central truth of Scripture: in the very place where the curse is spoken, God provides a means of reconciliation. The altar’s presence on Ebal proclaims hope and redemption, calling the covenant community to remember that deliverance and restoration are found in the LORD—even in the midst of the reality of human brokenness. |
    |