Gerizim is a significant mountain located in the central region of ancient Israel, near the city of Shechem, in what is now the West Bank. It holds considerable historical and religious importance in the biblical narrative and is frequently mentioned in the context of blessings and covenantal ceremonies.

Biblical Significance

Mount Gerizim is first prominently mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses instructed the Israelites that upon entering the Promised Land, they were to pronounce blessings from Mount Gerizim and curses from Mount Ebal, its neighboring peak. This event was to take place after they crossed the Jordan River, as a reaffirmation of the covenant between God and Israel. Deuteronomy 11:29 states, "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."

The actual ceremony is described in the Book of Joshua. Joshua 8:33-34 recounts how the Israelites, with the Ark of the Covenant, stood between the two mountains, and the Levites read all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, as part of the covenant renewal ceremony. "All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on either side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier, to bless the people of Israel."

Religious and Historical Context

Mount Gerizim holds a special place in Samaritan tradition. The Samaritans, an ethnoreligious group closely related to the Jews, regard Mount Gerizim as their holy mountain, rather than Jerusalem's Temple Mount. They believe it to be the original holy place chosen by God for His sanctuary. This belief is rooted in their version of the Pentateuch, which differs from the Jewish Torah in certain respects.

The mountain is also mentioned in the New Testament. In the Gospel of John, Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, located near Sychar, which is identified with Shechem. The woman refers to the mountain, saying, "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one must worship is in Jerusalem" (John 4:20). Jesus responds by emphasizing the coming of a new era of worship "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23), transcending specific locations.

Archaeological and Modern Relevance

Archaeological evidence suggests that Mount Gerizim was a site of religious activity from ancient times. Excavations have uncovered remains of a Samaritan temple, which was destroyed in the 2nd century BCE by the Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus. Today, Mount Gerizim remains a site of pilgrimage for Samaritans, who continue to celebrate Passover and other religious festivals on its slopes.

In summary, Mount Gerizim is a mountain of profound biblical and historical significance, serving as a symbol of blessing and covenant for the Israelites and as a central place of worship for the Samaritans. Its role in biblical history and its ongoing religious importance underscore its enduring legacy in the Judeo-Christian tradition.Ger'izim (3 Occurrences)

Deuteronomy 11:29
And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
(See RSV)

Deuteronomy 27:12
These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are passed over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin;
(See RSV)

Judges 9:7
When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Ger'izim, and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
(DBY RSV)

Ger'izim (3 Occurrences)
Ger'izim. Gerizim, Ger'izim. Gerizite . Multi-Version Concordance
Ger'izim (3 Occurrences). Deuteronomy 11:29 And it shall come ...
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Gerizim (4 Occurrences)

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Gerizite (1 Occurrence)

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Aloud (141 Occurrences)
... Judges 9:7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount
Ger'izim, and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you men of Shechem ...
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