Ebal, Mount

Mount Ebal is one of the two mountains flanking the city of Shechem in the central hill country of Canaan, the northern of the pair (with Mount Gerizim to the south, Deuteronomy 11:29; 27:12–13). Ebal was the mountain designated for the pronouncing of curses: Moses commanded that after Israel crossed the Jordan, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali should stand on Ebal to proclaim the curses for disobedience, while Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin stood on Gerizim to proclaim the blessings (Deuteronomy 27:12–13). Joshua carried out this ceremony after the conquest of Ai, building an altar on Mount Ebal of uncut stones, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, and writing the law of Moses on plastered stones (Joshua 8:30–35).

Mount Ebal rises to approximately 3,080 feet (938 meters) above sea level, making it the highest peak in the central Samarian highlands. The covenant renewal ceremony at these mountains — with blessings and curses dividing the assembled nation — gave physical and geographical expression to the two-ways structure of Mosaic theology that pervades Deuteronomy.