Gerizim

The southern mountain of two that overlooks the Shechem valley where the Israelites were commanded by Moses to proclaim the blessings and the curses (Deut 11:29); this being the mountain of blessing. Soon after they entered Canaan and after their initial victories Joshua led the Israelites to the site for that purpose (Jos 8:33).

It was also from this mountain that Jotham, the sole surviving brother of the murderous pretender Abimelech, shouted out his parable of the trees as a warning to the inhabitants of Shechem about their fate in the hands of Abimelech (Judg 9:7-21).

Standing at 2,849 fsl, the mountain offers a spectacular view of much of the land of Palestine, though not as spectacular as it is from the opposite and higher Mount Ebal. Gerizim is today the site of the sole surviving "city of the Samaritans." It is almost certain that this was the mountain the Samaritan woman referred to in her conversation with Jesus where "our fathers worshipped" (Jn 4:20). There they had built a temple which was later sacked and destroyed by the Hasmonean king Hyrcanus. A narrow pass separates the two mountains and in the valley stands today the city of Nablus, a hot-spot of Palestinian nationalism. The pass opens the way west to the ancient city of Samaria and the Mediterranean coast.

Archaeological excavations led by Robert Bull of Drew University have uncovered the remains of a temple believed to be built in the time of Emperor Hadrian, and dedicated to Zeus, as will as the foundations of the Samarian temple destroyed by Hyrcanus.