Bible Encyclopedia: Ebal

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

EBAL, MOUNT

e'-bal, (har `ebhal; Gaibal):

Rises North of the vale of Shechem, over against Mt. Gerizim on the South. The mountain (Arabic el-Iclamiyeh) reaches a height of 1,402 ft. above the floor of the valley, and 3,077 ft. above the level of the Mediterranean. The Samaritans feign that Gerizim is the higher; but it is more than 200 ft. lower than Ebal. These two mountains overhang the pass through which runs the main artery of intercourse between East and West, the city of Nablus lying in the throat of the valley to the West. The ancient Shechem probably stood farther to the East. The lower slopes of Ebal as one ascends from Nablus are covered with gardens and orchards, the copious streams from the fountains under Gerizim washing its foot, and spreading fertility and beauty. The vine, the fig and the olive grow luxuriantly. Higher up we scramble over rough rocky terraces, where grow only the ubiquitous thistles and prickly shrubs.

From the broad summit a view of surpassing interest and beauty rewards the climber's toil. Westward beyond the hills and the plain of Sharon with its coast line of yellow sand running from Jaffa to Carmel, stretch the blue waters of the Mediterranean. From Carmel to Gilboa, Little Hermon and Tabor, roll the fruitful breadths of Esdraelon: the uplands of Galilee, with Nazareth showing on the brow above the plain, rise away to the buttresses of Lebanon in the North. From the snowy peak of Hermon the eye ranges over the Jaulan and Mount Gilead to the Mountain of Bashan in the East, with the steep eastern wall of the Jordan valley in the foreground. The land of Moab is visible beyond the Dead Sea; and the heights around Jerusalem close the view on the South.

Round this splendid mountain, seen from afar on all sides, religious associations have gathered from old time. The Moslem Weley on the top-the usual white-domed sanctuary-where it is said the head of the Baptist is buried, is doubtless the modern representative of some ancient seat of worship. The ruins of a church show that Christians also came under the spell of the hill.

The slopes of Ebal toward Gerizim played their part in that memorable scene, when, having conquered the central region of Palestine, Joshua led the people hither, erected an altar of unhewn stones, wrote upon the stones-either engraving on the stone itself, or impressing on plaster placed there for the purpose-a copy of the law, and then, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded, placed half the tribes on the slope of Gerizim, and half on those of Ebal, and the ark with the priests and Levites in the center. Then with dramatic responses from the two divisions of the people, the blessings and the cursings of the law were read (Joshua 8:30; compare Deuteronomy 27:11). In all the future, therefore, this mountain, towering aloft in the very heart of the land, would remind beholders far and near of their people's covenant with God. It has sometimes been questioned if the reading of the law could be heard by the people in the way described. The formation of the sides of the valley at the narrowest part, and the acoustics, which have been tested more than once, leave no reasonable doubt as to the possibility.

The importance of the mountain from a military point of view is illustrated by the ruins of a massive fortress found on the summit.

W. Ewing

EBAL; OBAL

e'-bal (`ebhal, "bare") or (`obhal):

(1) A people and region of Joktanite, Arabia. See Dillmann, Genesis, and Glaser, Skizze, II, 426. The latter form of the name is that given in Genesis 10:28, the former in 1 Chronicles 1:22 and in the Sam text of Genesis 10:28.

(2) A son of Shobal, son of Seir, the Horite (Genesis 36:23 1 Chronicles 1:40).

Strong's Hebrew

5858b. Ebal -- Ebal
... 5858a, 5858b. Ebal. 5858c . Ebal. Transliteration: Ebal Short Definition: Ebal.
Word Origin the same as Obal, qv NASB Word Usage Ebal (1). 5858a, 5858b. ...
/hebrew/5858b.htm - 5k

5858c. Ebal -- a mountain North of Shechem
... 5858b, 5858c. Ebal. 5859 . a mountain North of Shechem. Transliteration:
Ebal Short Definition: Ebal. Word Origin from the same ...
/hebrew/5858c.htm - 5k

5858a. Ebal -- an Edomite name
... 5858, 5858a. Ebal. 5858b . an Edomite name. Transliteration: Ebal Short
Definition: Ebal. Word Origin from the same as Obal Definition ...
/hebrew/5858a.htm - 5k

5858. Eybal -- an Edomite name
... 5857, 5858. Eybal. 5858a . an Edomite name. Transliteration: Eybal Phonetic
Spelling: (ay-bawl') Short Definition: Ebal. Ebal Perhaps ...
/hebrew/5858.htm - 5k

Library

The Altar on Mount Ebal.
... THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL. Before Moses ... be proclaimed. Mounts Ebal and Gerizim
are two rugged mountains that face each other in Samaria. ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the old testament/the altar on mount ebal.htm

Gilgal, in Deuteronomy 11:30 what the Place Was.
... That which is said by Moses, that "Gerizim and Ebal were over-against Gilgal,"
Deuteronomy 11:30, is so obscure, that it is rendered into contrary ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 88 gilgal in deuteronomy.htm

Jesus at the Well of Sychar
... Shiloh, the eye travels over the wide sweep, extending more than seven miles northward,
till it rests on the twin heights of Gerizim and Ebal, which enclose ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter viii jesus at the.htm

Samaria. Sychem.
... under the name of Sychar, John 4:5, from the words of the prophet, "Woe to the drunken
Ephraimites," Isaiah 28:1. The mountains of Gerizim and Ebal touched on ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 56 samaria sychem.htm

Jesus at the Well.
... a most graphic, and yet most unartificial picture of nature and human life, as it
still remains, though in decay, at the foot of Gerizim and Ebal, the most ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus at the well.htm

Books of the Hebrew Canon.
... In the present Hebrew text the ceremony at Ebal and Gerizim follows immediately
upon the taking of Ai, but in it is separated from the latter incident by the ...
/.../chapter ii books of the.htm

Six Cities
... The famous mountains of Ebal and Gerizim rose on either side, from the slopes of
which the blessings and the curses of the law were proclaimed in the ears of ...
/.../macduff/the cities of refuge or the name of jesus/ii six cities.htm

The Kingdom Conquering
... crossing occurred. Locate Jericho and Ai, scenes of first victory and first
defeat. Locate Mounts Ebal and Gerizim. Place over the ...
/.../palmer/a birds-eye view of the bible/iii the kingdom conquering.htm

The Sin of Unbelief
... they bowed before the idols of the heathens, and therefore the Lord of Hosts suffered
their enemies to oppress them until the curse of Ebal was fulfilled in ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the sin of unbelief.htm

Prison Meditations Directed to the Heart of Suffering Saints and ...
... the author, a short time before his decease; it is in an exceedingly rare little
volume, including his poems of "One thing needful" and his "Ebal and Gerizzim ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/prison meditations directed to the.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Ebal

ancient heaps

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ebal

(stone, bare mountain).

One of the sons of Shobal the son of Seir. (Genesis 36:23; 1 Chronicles 1:40)
Obal the son of Joktan. (1 Chronicles 1:22) comp. Genesis 10:28

ATS Bible Dictionary

Ebal

De 27:1-28:68; a mountain in Ephraim, over against mount Gerizim, from which it is separated by a valley about five hundred yards wide and three miles long, in which stands the town of Shechem. Both mountains are much alike in length, height, and form, and their altitude is stated not to exceed seven hundred and fifty or eight hundred feet from the level of the valley. As you journey from Jerusalem, and turn to pass through the valley west-northwest to Shechem, mount Ebal is on the right hand and mount Gerizim on the left. Some have described the count of cursing as sterile and desolate, and Gerizim as smiling and fertile. But at present there is little difference between their opposing fronts, which are alike, steep and barren. Mount Gerizim, however, is said to have a more fertile background, and to be a little higher than mount Ebal. The base of the latter is full of sepulchral excavations. See GERIZIM, SHECHEM.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Stony.

(1.) A mountain 3,076 feet above the level of the sea, and 1,200 feet above the level of the valley, on the north side of which stood the city of Shechem (q.v.). On this mountain six of the tribes (Deuteronomy 27:12, 13) were appointed to take their stand and respond according to a prescribed form to the imprecations uttered in the valley, where the law was read by the Levites (11:29; 29:4, 13). This mountain was also the site of the first great altar erected to Jehovah (Deuteronomy 27:5-8; Joshua 8:30-35). After this the name of Ebal does not again occur in Jewish history. (see GERIZIM.)

(2.) A descendant of Eber (1 Chronicles 1:22), called also Obal (Genesis 10:28).

(3.) A descendant of Seir the Horite (Genesis 36:23).

Thesaurus

Ebal (8 Occurrences)
... After this the name of Ebal does not again occur in Jewish history. (see
GERIZIM.). ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. EBAL, MOUNT. ...
/e/ebal.htm - 14k

Gerizim (4 Occurrences)
... It stood over against Mount Ebal, the summits of these mountains being distant
from each other about 2 miles (Deuteronomy 27; Joshua 8:30-35). ...
/g/gerizim.htm - 14k

Shechem (61 Occurrences)
... It stood in the narrow sheltered valley between Ebal on the north and Gerizim on
the south, these mountains at their base being only some 500 yards apart. ...
/s/shechem.htm - 38k

Obal (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Stripped, the eight son of Joktan (Genesis 10:28); called
also Ebal (1 Chronicles 1:22). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. EBAL; OBAL. ...
/o/obal.htm - 7k

Mount (311 Occurrences)
... W. Ewing. EBAL, MOUNT. ... above the level of the Mediterranean. The Samaritans feign
that Gerizim is the higher; but it is more than 200 ft. lower than Ebal. ...
/m/mount.htm - 68k

Onam (4 Occurrences)
... Onam (4 Occurrences). Genesis 36:23 These are the children of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath,
Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/o/onam.htm - 8k

Reviling (47 Occurrences)
... bring thee in unto the land whither thou art going in to possess it, that thou hast
given the blessing on mount Gerizim, and the reviling on mount Ebal; (YLT). ...
/r/reviling.htm - 21k

Manahath (3 Occurrences)
... Manahath (3 Occurrences). Genesis 36:23 These are the children of Shobal: Alvan,
Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV). ...
/m/manahath.htm - 8k

Man'ahath (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Man'ahath (2 Occurrences). Genesis 36:23 And these are
the children of Shobal: Alvan and Manahath and Ebal, Shepho and Onam. (See RSV) ...
/m/man'ahath.htm - 6k

Curses (55 Occurrences)
... 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...
/c/curses.htm - 22k

Bible Concordance

Ebal (8 Occurrences)

Genesis 36:23 These are the children of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 11:29 It shall happen, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, that you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 27:4 It shall be, when you have passed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 27:13 These shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 8:30 Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 8:33 All Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, who carried the ark of Yahweh's covenant, the foreigner as well as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 1:22 and Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 1:40 The sons of Shobal: Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah, and Anah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Ebal

Ebal: A Horite

Ebal: A Mountain of Ephraim--Half of the Tribes of Israel Stand On, to Respond Amen to the Curses of the Law

Ebal: Altar Built On

Ebal: Son of Joktan

Related Terms

Gerizim (4 Occurrences)

Shechem (61 Occurrences)

Obal (1 Occurrence)

Mount (311 Occurrences)

Onam (4 Occurrences)