Ebal and Gerizim are two mountains that rise facing one another, separated by a narrow valley where the city of Shechem once stood, in the hill country of Ephraim.
Before Israel entered the promised land, Moses commanded that, once they arrived, the people should be divided between the two mountains: six tribes would go up to Gerizim to proclaim the blessings of the covenant, and six would go up to Ebal to proclaim the curses.
Joshua carried out this command as soon as the conquest of Canaan began. He built an altar of stones on Mount Ebal, offered sacrifices to the Lord, and copied the law of Moses there. With the people standing between the two mountains, he read aloud all the blessings and curses of the covenant.
Later, in the time of the judges, Jotham climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim to shout his parable to the men of Shechem, denouncing Abimelech’s betrayal of Gideon’s family.
The two mountains are a reminder that the covenant with God brought a real choice: obedience and blessing, or rebellion and curse. The landscape itself preached that sermon.
