Mount Ebal
“And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.” (Deuteronomy 27:13)
A mountain north of Shechem. Height: 3084 feet above sea level.
Known in Bible as ‘the mountain of the curse’ as opposed to Mount Gerizim, south of Shechem, which is known as ‘the mountain of the blessing.’
“And it shall come to pass, when the LORD your God has brought you in unto the land where you go to possess it, that you shall put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.” (Deuteronomy 11:29)
In fact, 19th-century travelers noted that while trees swathed Mount Gerizim, Mount Ebal was rocky and barren. Also called Jebel ‘Askar after the village of that name at foot of the mountain.
Finds: Ancient tombs from various periods of occupation of Shechem were found at foot of mountain.
