THE ALTAR ON MOUNT EBAL.
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Old Testament Stories
Before Moses died he called the Israelites together, and urged them to
faithfully serve God; also directing that when they entered Canaan,
they were to build an altar of rough stones, covered with plaster, on
Mount Ebal, and to write the words of God's law upon this altar. Then
six of the tribes were to stand on Mount Gerizim, and six on Mount
Ebal, and, in the hearing of all the people, the blessings for
obedience and
the cursings for disobedience were to be proclaimed.
Mounts Ebal and Gerizim are two rugged mountains that face each other
in Samaria. When the Israelites advanced thus far, they remembered the
words of Moses. Joshua built the altar as directed, on which he
offered sacrifices to God, and wrote a copy of the law upon it. All
Israel stood, "half of them over against Mount Gerizim, and half of
them over against Mount Ebal," and Joshua read all the words of the
law, "the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in
the book of the law." Then the loud voices of the Levites were heard
from the mountain sides, declaring, in the hearing of all the people,
the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, as God
had commanded.