Original Word: גְּרִזִים
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Griziym
Pronunciation: guh-REE-zeem
Phonetic Spelling: (gher-ee-zeem')
Definition: Gerizim
Meaning: Gerizim

Gerizim

Plural of an unused noun from garaz (compare Gizriy), cut up (i.e. Rocky); Gerizim, a mountain of Palestine -- Gerizim.

see HEBREW garaz

see HEBREW Gizriy

Word Origin
from garaz
Definition
a mountain in N. Isr.
NASB Translation
Gerizim (4).

גְּרִזִּים proper name, of a location mountain in Northern Israel, south of Sichem (Nabulus), opposite Ebal (עֵיבָל), which was on north; only ׳הַר ג Deuteronomy 11:29; Deuteronomy 27:12; Joshua 8:33; Judges 9:7; modern Jebel et‰-ˆôr Rob^{BR ii. 274 ff.} Bd^{Pal 220, 222}.

גרטל (possibly quadriliteral √, whence followed with א prosthetic compare however below)

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning "cuttings off" or "rocky places."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There are no direct corresponding Strong's Greek entries for Gerizim, as it is a proper noun specific to the Hebrew Bible and its geographical and historical context. However, references to Mount Gerizim can be found in the New Testament, particularly in John 4:20, where the Samaritan woman at the well mentions the mountain in her conversation with Jesus, highlighting its significance in Samaritan worship.

Usage: The term "Gerizim" is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote the mountain where the Israelites were instructed to pronounce blessings, as part of the covenant renewal ceremony described in the Book of Deuteronomy. It is also significant in the narrative of the Samaritan community.

Context: Mount Gerizim is prominently featured in the biblical narrative as one of the two mountains flanking the valley where the ancient city of Shechem was located, the other being Mount Ebal. According to Deuteronomy 11:29 and 27:12, Gerizim was designated as the mountain of blessing, where half of the tribes of Israel stood to pronounce blessings upon entering the Promised Land. This event is further detailed in Joshua 8:33-34, where Joshua read the blessings and curses as prescribed by Moses.

Gerizim holds historical and religious significance beyond the Hebrew Bible. It became a central place of worship for the Samaritans, who built a temple on the mountain, rivaling the temple in Jerusalem. This temple was destroyed in the late 2nd century BCE by John Hyrcanus, a Hasmonean leader. The mountain remains a sacred site for the Samaritan community to this day.

The mountain's association with blessings and its role in the covenant ceremony underscore its importance in the religious and cultural history of Israel. Its geographical location provided a natural amphitheater for the public reading of the law, symbolizing the choice between blessing and curse, obedience and disobedience.

גְּרִזִ֔ים גרזים gə·ri·zîm geriZim gərizîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts