EBAL and GERIZIM, MOUNTS (e'bal and ger'i-gm), (Heb. nO, har-ay-bawl' , mount of stone, and rn?, gher-ee-zeeme, desert dwellers).
Ebal and Gerizim, two mountains of Samaria, form the opposite sides of the valley which con tained the ancient town of Shechem, the present Nabulus. From this connection it is best to notice them together.
(1) The valley which these mountains enclose is about 200 or 30o paces wide, by above three miles in length; and Mount Ebal rises on the right hand and Gerizim on the left hand of the valley (which extends west-north-west) as a person approaches Shechem from Jerusalem. It was on Mount Ebal that God commanded to be reared up an altar, and a pillar inscribed with the law ; and the tribes were to be assembled, half on Ebal and half on Gerizini, to hear the fearful maledictions pronounced by the Levites upon all who should violate the obliga tions of the sacred code, and the blessings prom ised to those who should observe them.
(2) The tribes which responded with simul taneous 'Amens' to the curses, were to be sta tioned on Mount Ebal, and those who answered to the blessings, on Mount Gerizim. This grand cere mony—perhaps the grandest in the history of na tions—could not have found a more fitting scene: and it was duly performed by Joshua as soon as he gained possession of the Promised Land (Deut.
xxvii :4, 13 ; Josh. viii :3o-35).
(3) Mounts Gerizim and Ebal rise in steep, rocky precipices, immediately from the valley on each side, apparently some Boo feet in height.
The sides of both these mountains are equally naked and sterile, although some travelers have chosen to describe Gerizim as fertile, and confine the sterility to Ebal. The only exception in favor of the former is a small ravine coming down op posite to the west end of the town, which indeed is full of fountains and trees ; in other respects both mountains are desolate, except that a few olive-trees are scattered upon them. The side of the northern mountain, Ebal, along the foot, is full of ancient excavated sepulchers. The southern mountain is now called by the inhabitants Jebel et-Tfir, though the name Gerizim is known, at least, to the Samaritans.
Conder considers that upon the top of this mount may be the site of Joshua's altar.
EBED (e'bed), (Heb. eh' bed, servant, but many MSS. have EBER).
1. Father of Gaal, who assisted the men of Shechem against Abimelech (Judg. ix :26, 28, 3o, 31, 35), B. C. 1321.
2. Son of Jonathan, one of the sons of Adin, who returned from Babylon with Ezra (Ezra viii:6), B. C. 450. •