Two mountains rise over the valley of Shechem in central Israel. Mount Gerizim stands to the south, Mount Ebal to the north. Between them the Lord staged a covenant drama that still speaks. One mountain was appointed for blessing, the other for curse. The people stood between them while the Word of God was read aloud, sacrifices were offered, and a choice was set before the nation. This study walks carefully through the Old Testament foundation and the New Testament fulfillment, showing how these mountains point us from the law’s curse to Christ’s cross and to the blessing that rests on all who believe.
“Now it shall be, when the LORD your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.” (Deuteronomy 11:29)
Why These Mountains Matter
Gerizim and Ebal are not random landmarks. They form a natural amphitheater near Shechem, the first place where Abraham built an altar after arriving in Canaan, and the place where Jacob renounced idols and buried them under the oak. Shechem is the city of choices and covenants. Here the Lord commanded that Israel rehearse His covenant, engrave His law on stones, and offer sacrifice. Blessing and curse would be heard by every ear, and the Word would be written where every eye could see.
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil… I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life.” (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19)
The Command Before Crossing the Jordan
Through Moses, God gave detailed instructions for a covenant ceremony that would take place upon entering the land. Large stones were to be set up and covered with plaster, and the words of the law written upon them. An altar of uncut stones was to be built on Mount Ebal, and offerings presented to the Lord.
“And it shall be, on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. You shall write on them all the words of this law… Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones… And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not use an iron tool on them. You shall build with whole stones the altar of the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 27:2–3, 4–6)
Why plaster, stones, and uncut rock without iron? The law was to be made public and permanent. The altar was to be God’s work, not a monument to human craft. The setting taught Israel that righteousness and atonement come from God, not from human invention. Then the tribes were to divide, half before Mount Gerizim for the blessing, half before Mount Ebal for the curse, while the Levites proclaimed the covenant conditions and the people answered, “Amen.”
“These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people… and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse… And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice… ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image…’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’” (Deuteronomy 27:12–15)
The climax of the curses reveals the heart of the matter.
“Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.” (Deuteronomy 27:26)
Deuteronomy 28 then unfolds blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. The message is unmistakable. The covenant is moral and personal. The Lord promises His presence and favor, yet He warns of judgment when the heart turns aside.
“The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand.” (Deuteronomy 28:8)
“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God… all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” (Deuteronomy 28:15)
Joshua’s Obedience at Mount Ebal
After the victories at Jericho and Ai, Joshua led Israel to carry out exactly what Moses commanded. He built the altar on Mount Ebal, offered burnt and peace offerings, wrote the law on the stones, and read all the words of the law before the entire assembly.
“Now Joshua built an altar to the LORD God of Israel in Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded… an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool… And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses… Then he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings… There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly.” (Joshua 8:30–35)
Joshua depicts the people arranged in the valley between the mountains, with the Ark and the priests at the center, and half the tribes in front of each mountain.
“All Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark… half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal.” (Joshua 8:33)
This was Israel’s public recommitment to the covenant. The nation began life in the land with the Word written, the sacrifice offered, and the choice declared.
Why the Altar Stood on Mount Ebal
It seems counterintuitive that the altar was placed on the mountain of the curse. Yet this is the deepest lesson. The law exposes sin and announces a curse upon every transgressor. The altar answers that curse with sacrifice. God placed the sign of atonement on the mountain of judgment to teach that the way from curse to blessing runs through blood. The law condemns, the sacrifice covers, and mercy triumphs.
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’… Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:10, 13)
Deuteronomy itself connected the curse with a body hung on a tree.
“He who is hanged is accursed of God.” (Deuteronomy 21:23)
Paul applies this directly to Christ. The altar on Ebal points forward to Calvary. On the hill where judgment fell, at the cross where the accursed One hung in our place, redemption was accomplished and the blessing promised to Abraham flowed to Jew and Gentile alike.
“That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:14)
Shechem, The City of Choices
Shechem was already hallowed by patriarchal history. Abraham built an altar there when the Lord appeared and promised the land.
“Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem… Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ And there he built an altar to the LORD.” (Genesis 12:6–7)
Jacob later called his household to renounce idols, then buried their foreign gods under the terebinth by Shechem and built an altar to the God of Israel.
“So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods… and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.” (Genesis 35:4)
“Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.” (Genesis 33:20)
At the close of Joshua’s life, Shechem again hosted a covenant assembly. Joshua recounted the Lord’s mercies and set the people before a clear decision.
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
Joshua then set up a great stone as a witness and wrote the words in the Book of the Law of God.
“Then Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.” (Joshua 24:26)
Shechem is where idols are buried, altars erected, covenants renewed, and choices made. The mountains frame the moment. Blessing and curse, life and death, are not abstractions. They stand, as it were, on either side of every soul.
From Ebal and Gerizim into Israel’s Story
Judges shows how quickly the people forgot. Abimelech seized power at Shechem and plunged the region into treachery. Jotham climbed Mount Gerizim and cried aloud a parable of trees to warn the city of its folly.
“Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out… ‘Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you!’” (Judges 9:7)
The setting of blessing and curse witnessed to Israel’s failure. The history underlines the need for a better Mediator and a better covenant. The mountains remain, the choice remains, and the heart of man remains unchanged without the grace of God.
From Curse to Cross
The New Testament takes up the themes of Ebal and Gerizim by setting law and gospel in their proper relation. The law reveals sin and pronounces condemnation. The gospel reveals Christ and proclaims justification by faith. The same choice between blessing and curse is pressed upon every hearer, but the means of blessing is now revealed in full. Christ bore the curse that the blessing might come to those who believe.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
John’s Gospel uses the language of verdict and decision.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already.” (John 3:18)
Ebal and Gerizim become lenses for the soul. In Christ the blessing is received as a gift, and apart from Christ the curse remains. The law instructed and accused. The cross satisfies and saves.
True Worship: The Woman at the Well
By the time of Jesus, the Samaritans had identified Mount Gerizim as the place of worship. At Jacob’s well, near Shechem, the Samaritan woman raised the old controversy about the right mountain. Jesus answered by lifting worship above place to Person, above shadows to truth.
“Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father… the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:20–23)
The whole geography of blessing and curse, the whole debate about sacred locations, gives way to the revelation of Christ. He is the true Temple, the true Priest, and the true Altar.
“We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.” (Hebrews 13:10)
The altar of uncut stones on Ebal, the altar that stood where the curse was announced, pointed to the altar of the cross where the curse was borne. In Christ, worship is not bound to Ebal or Gerizim or even Jerusalem, but to faith in the Son of God and to the truth of His finished work.
Sinai and Zion, Ebal and Gerizim
Hebrews contrasts two mountains to teach the nature of the new covenant. Sinai represents fear, distance, and the law that condemns. Zion represents joy, access, and the Mediator whose sprinkled blood speaks better things.
“For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire… But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God… to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:18, 22, 24)
Ebal and Gerizim are not named in Hebrews, yet their message stands behind this contrast. The law confronts us with curse; the gospel brings us to blessing. Sinai speaks of demands we could not meet; Zion speaks of a Savior who met them for us. Between the mountains the nation stood. Between condemnation and justification every soul still stands. The call remains to choose life through faith in the Son.
The Two Ways
The contrast of blessing and curse, life and death, runs from Genesis to Revelation. Psalm 1 opens with the blessed man who delights in the law of the LORD, and the wicked who are like chaff. Jesus speaks of two gates and two paths.
“Enter by the narrow gate… Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13–14)
Deuteronomy frames the choice with mountains and a valley. The wisdom books frame it with paths and doors. The prophets frame it with calls to return to the LORD. The Gospels frame it with faith in Christ. The epistles frame it with flesh and Spirit, law and grace, condemnation and justification. In every frame the same truth holds. Blessing belongs to those who hear and believe. Curse remains on those who refuse and resist.
From Shechem to the Nations
At Shechem the blessing promised to Abraham begins to be tasted in the land. In Christ the same blessing extends to the nations through the gospel.
“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’” (Galatians 3:8)
Mount Ebal exposes our need, Mount Gerizim announces God’s good will, and Calvary secures the blessing forever. The Spirit is given as the promised gift. The curse is removed. The family of Abraham grows into a people from every tribe and tongue who stand not in the valley of decision before two mountains, but in the grace of a finished salvation.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4)
Timeline: From Command to Fulfillment
| Time / Passage | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Deuteronomy 11 | Blessing to be set on Gerizim, curse on Ebal | Two mountains appointed to dramatize covenant choice |
| Deuteronomy 27–28 | Law written on stones; altar built on Ebal; blessings and curses read | Public law and sacrifice, promise and warning |
| Joshua 8:30–35 | Joshua obeys; altar, offerings, full reading of the law | Entry into the land sealed by covenant renewal |
| Judges 9:7 | Jotham cries from Mount Gerizim against Shechem’s treachery | Failure under the covenant brings curse into history |
| John 4:20–24 | Samaritan woman raises Gerizim vs Jerusalem; Jesus reveals true worship | Worship moves from place to Person, from shadow to truth |
| Galatians 3:10–14 | Curse of the law and Christ bearing the curse | Altar on Ebal fulfilled at the cross, blessing given through faith |
| Hebrews 12:18–24 | Sinai and Zion contrasted | From fear and distance to access and joy in the Mediator |
Standing Between Two Mountains
Let the Word be public in your home.
At Ebal the law was inscribed openly and read to all, including women, little ones, and strangers. Families today should read Scripture aloud, explain its meaning, and keep it visible in daily life. The Lord delights to write His Word on our hearts as we bring it to our eyes and lips.
Renounce idols and bury them. Jacob buried foreign gods at Shechem. Repentance is not a theory. It is an actual laying down of counterfeit trusts and loyalties. Keep nothing hidden in the tent. Cast down the things that rival Christ.
Remember that blessing comes through the sacrifice of Another. The altar was on Ebal, not Gerizim. We do not climb to blessing by our own steps. We receive blessing because Christ bore the curse that we deserved. Trust Him, not your performance.
Choose the Lord again and again. Joshua called Israel to choose the LORD in a city framed by blessing and curse. Every day we choose whom we will serve. Grace does not remove the need for resolve. Grace enables it.
Worship in Spirit and truth. Do not tie your devotion to place, tradition, or sentiment. Tie it to Christ. In Him the true temple is present, the true priest intercedes, and the true altar stands.
Passages to Meditate On
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly… His delight is in the law of the LORD.” (Psalm 1:1–2)
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)
“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night… do not keep silent.” (Isaiah 62:6)
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
My Final Thoughts
Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim are the Lord’s classroom. He set His people between two mountains, read His Word to them, wrote it before their eyes, and called them to choose life. The altar stood where the curse was pronounced, teaching that grace meets us at our worst and lifts us to God’s best. From Ebal we look to the cross. From Gerizim we hear the promise. In Christ the curse is borne, the blessing given, and worship opened in Spirit and truth. Choose life. Bury the idols. Read the Word aloud. Trust the Lamb who took the curse for you. Then walk in the blessing that no enemy can remove and no valley can silence.
