John 4

Woman at well

Divine appointment

Jesus had to go through Samaria - not typical path to cut through for Jews who avoided it

Samaritans Worshipped separately

Jesus went out of his way to be there

Woman was not an acceptable part of community - there at noon?

Or perhaps she had suffered loss of husbands and was living with family?

Jesus ministered one to one he sought out and loved the lost

Intentionally built relationships

Boy made well

Scripture

Observations

Interpretation

Application

1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John

2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),

3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.

4 But He needed to go through Samaria.

5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from [His] journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."

8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

11 The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?

12 "Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?"

13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,

14 "but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."

15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."

16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."

17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,'

18 "for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."

19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20 "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you [Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."

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21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

24 "God [is] Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things."

26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am [He]."

27 And at this [point] His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"

28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,

29 "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"

30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

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31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."

32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."

33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him [anything] to eat?"

34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

35 "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and [then] comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

36 "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

37 "For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'

38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I [ever] did."

40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.

41 And many more believed because of His own word.

42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard [Him] and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

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43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.

44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you [people] see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."

49 The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!"

50 Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told [him], saying, "Your son lives!"

52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."

53 So the father knew that [it was] at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household.

54 This again [is] the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

Jesus becomes the focus of the Pharisees now that he has more followers than John.

Jesus continues his trip north form Judea to Galilee through Samaria. The trip takes 3 days.

The Jews thought Samarai to be defiled due to their mix with other races, and their variation of believes on the Law of Moses. They would rather than cross the Jordan and travel up the East side rather than go through Samaria. There was jealous competition as to who were the true followers of God.

Jesus coming from Jerusalem and Judea. John 3:22

5 Jesus goes to an area that is foundational history to the Jews when Jacob bought land there, and conquered more.

[Gen 33:19 NKJV] 19 And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money.

Jacob gave 2 parts of the land to Joseph for his 2 son's.

[Gen 48:22 NKJV] 22 "Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow."

Jacobs well had function of fulfilling the need for water, and historical context for Samaria to be part of Israel and Jacob their father as well as the Father of the Jews.

6th hour - noon - heat of the day

Jesus was a Jewish rabbi and should not have talked to a Samaritan or a woman

Jesus was cleansed and he should not have drank from an impure source of water.

Jer 2:13 - my people have forsaken me and hewn broken cisterns

Jesus was a true man in that he became weary and needed food, water and rest. He was a poor man in that he walked and did not ride.

Again Jesus starts a conversation by asking a question.

He is polite to her, in spite of the culture and difference in their backgrounds.

He starts with a dialog about a physical thing that will then allow hi to point to supernatural/spiritual parallels.

Woman would have been poor given she had no servants to fetch water.

Jesus not only had them travel through the land, but go into the city which they would not usually do as Jews.

[Mat 10:5 NKJV] 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

[Act 10:28 NKJV] 28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

[2Ki 17:24 NKJV] 24 Then the king of Assyria brought [people] from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed [them] in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.

[Ezr 4:1 NKJV] 1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD God of Israel, (Samaria)

Jesus turns conversation from natural to supernatural. From early water to living eternal water.

[Rom 5:15 NKJV] 15 But the free gift [is] not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

[Isa 12:3 NKJV] 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.

[Isa 44:3 NKJV] 3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;

11 -12

The woman understands this as a reference to physical water.

Is 55:1 "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.

Jesus clarifies he is talking about eternal life.

[Isa 12:2-3 NKJV] 2 Behold, God [is] my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the LORD, [is] my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.' " 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.

[Rev 22:1 NKJV] 1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Woman turns back to physical water context.

[Jhn 6:35, 58 NKJV] 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ... 58 "This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."

[Jhn 7:37-38 NKJV] 37 On the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

Jesus has supernatural knowledge from the Holy Spirit about her past relationships.

She was on her 6th man.

[Luk 7:16, 39 NKJV] 16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people." ... 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw [this], he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman [this is] who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."

[Luk 24:19 NKJV] 19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

Samaritans chose Mt Geriz (see detail history below)

[Deu 12:5, 11 NKJV] 5 "But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. ... 11 "then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD.

[1Ti 2:8 NKJV] 8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

Jesus foretells that worship will not be at a physical temple location through priests, but spiritually directly to the father through Jesus.

The Messiah would come through the Jews.

[Rom 9:4-5 NKJV] 4 who are Israelites, to whom [pertain] the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service [of God], and the promises; 5 of whom [are] the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ [came], who is over all, [the] eternally blessed God. Amen.

[Heb 13:10-14 NKJV] 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

[Phl 3:3 NKJV] 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

[Jhn 1:17 NKJV] 17 For the law was given through Moses, [but] grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

People can commune with God anywhere, not just in a designated place of worship. Worshiping in truth is in harmony with the Father (how and whom, not where).

[2Co 3:17 NKJV] 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.

[Deu 8:15 NKJV] 15 "who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, [in which were] fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;

Jesus says he is what she and her people have been looking for for fulfillment.

Disciples - did not recognize that Jesus was doing what they were called to do.

Woman has had a revelation that Jesus is the Messiah.

Matt 12:23 - The crowds were all amazed and asked, "Could this be the Son of David?"

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Luke 7:39 - Jesus had also healed the woman who had touched him and the Pharisees judged him for becoming unclean by allowing it.

The disciples showed concern that Jesus was fed (taking care of their own) but no concern for the needs of the woman.

Jesus turns the conversation with his Disciples to a supernatural one. Luke 11:3 - give us this day our daily bread...Jesus is concerned with our spiritual health.

Matt 16:6 - Jesus had warned them to be aware of the leavening (sin) of the pharisees and saducees in their hearts of pride that poisoned their relationship with God.

34 - Jesus's focus on God's work

Is 53:11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

John 5:30 I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Matt 9:37, 38 Then He said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest."

Luke 10:2 - ...harvest is plentiful but the workers are few...

Matt 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Romans 1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant …

2 Corinthians 10:15 Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that, as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,

Matt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.

The Samaritans recognized the truth and wanted more people to hear more.

Luke 4:32 And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.

1John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son [as] Savior of the world.

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Jesus delayed his trip North due to the response of repentance and belief of the Samaritans.

Jesus and his disciples traveling north to Galilee.

Matthew 13:57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." Also quoted in Mark 6:4. May refer to Jerusalem since Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.

The feast refers to the Passover.

[Deu 16:16 NKJV] 16 "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.

Galilee - the home of Jesus in northern Israel.

The Galileans received him based on the signs and miracles they had seen in Jerusalem.

Cana - from Chapter 2 - Water to wine miracle

Caperneum - NW Shore of Sea of Galilee 20 miles from Cana

Nobleman probably one of many who asked Jesus for a miracle.

1 Corinthians 1:22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;

"you" is plural speaking to the crowd.

Signs did not change hearts when Moses was leading the people to the promise land, and here did not change their hearts when Jesus did them, it just fed their lust and greed for more physical comfort.

In contrast the Samaritans believed from the truth of His words.

The nobleman shows faith in asking.

This is the second miracle recorded in John.

Jesus challenges his faith further by not going physically to the son but just speaking it casually there.

Matt 8:10 - Jesus is amazed at the faith of the Centurion who trust that Jesus can heal his servant who is far away.

staff announced the miracle.

Faith affirmed of healing, brought more faith in belief that Jesus was the Messiah and could bring eternal salvation/healing to his soul.

Heb 11:6 - Faith is indispensable in pleasing God.

The first sign persuaded his disciples

The second sign persuaded the Nobleman and his household

1 -3

Jesus was growing in popularity and in his following.

Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They separated from the southern tribes and set up their own center of worship there. See more detail and history at the bottom of the page.

The significance of Jacob’s well is that it provided an opportunity for Jesus to present Himself as the life-giving Messiah to a Samaritan woman and, later, to her whole village. The woman had asked, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?” The answer is a resounding “yes.” Jacob may have provided his children with physical water in an arid land, but Jesus provides His children with “living water” in a spiritual wasteland. The life Jesus gives satisfies all our needs and springs up to eternal life

The reason for this reference to Joseph in verse 5 will only become clear when we see that the Samaritan woman suffered in a manner similar to Joseph. If this reading of the story is correct, just as Joseph endured unexplained suffering for the purpose of bringing salvation to Israel; likewise the Samaritan woman endured suffering which led to the salvation of the Samaritan Israelites in that locale. (4: 39-4 1) Lizorkin-Eyzenberg, Eli. The Jewish Gospel of John: Discovering Jesus, King of All Israel (p. 48). Jewish Studies for Christians. Kindle Edition.

Some have interpreted the woman as an immoral woman but she could just as much been a woman who had experienced much loss and now was depending on family.

Jesus is our living water, source of eternal life.

Jesus quenches our thirst, fills the void

Jesus can bring her salvation.

Jacob was great and their common patriarch for having provided the original well, and was a point of pride for Samaria.

13 -14

Jesus turns it back to a supernatural/eternal discussion.

Jesus used water as a type of cleaning and source of eternal life.

Water imagery in the Bible https://sites.google.com/site/apologiadedios/topical-studies/water

The woman, as we are was open to talking about something that would make her daily earthly life easier by not having to go fetch water. She could find her thirst filled without effort.

She had been seeking fulfillment in life through the men in her life.

She knew from scripture that people who knew truth about you that they could not have casually observed were probably prophets.

She wants to change the discussion from her own lack of fulfillment to a theological one about whether the Samaritans or Jews were the truer worshipers of God.

Contrast - from Nicodemus a Jewish to a Samaritan woman of who is living with a man.

I have access to worship God wherever and whenever and with whomever.

Salvation came through the Jewish lineage through Jesus.

Acts 7:48-50 - God does not live in temples - we can see him anywhere.

Worship in spirit - look for the Holy Spirit's power

Worship in Truth - worship based on the truth of scripture for my worship through obedience.

Do I recognize the hand of God when he is affecting things around me?

27 The disciples realize that Jesus is not following the social standards and teachings that they had added onto scripture of the Pharisees to not even talk to women or their wife in public.

How do we train our spirits to be more eternally concerned when in the midst of temporal/earthly responsibilities?

29 The woman now was finding her fulfillment in sharing God's message.

Disciples react to Jesus, they don't pause and respond based on His perspective.

Jesus did not allow a breach of traditions, or discomfort of hunger to get in the way with sharing the gospel when he recognized a ready opportunity.

Only as we practice discipline over our appetites can we learn to overcome them so that we can be attentive to the opportunities to minister to those around us and our appetites/addictions do not interfere with the work we are called to do at any given time.

Jesus had practiced fasting and so was able to focus on the priority of the gospel at that time and not worry about food.

The will of God ought to be a source of strength and satisfaction to the child of God, just as if he sat down to a sumptuous feast. If what we are doing tears us down instead of builds us up, then we may well question whether it is the will of God for us. - Wiersbe

Jesus is saying...wake us spiritually and see the needs of those around you that are seeking peace with God in their lives!

We have both the roles of preaching the Gospel to plan the seeds and of being attentive for those who are seeking and ready to turn their lives over to God so we can support their conversion.

I need to focus on loving, sharing, teaching as I am gifted and not look to end to end process.

we are rewarded on faithful work, not on the results, as those are God's reward

38 The disciples went into town and did not evangelize. Jesus used the woman for this instead.

They probably assumed that due to the animosity between the Jews and Samaritans there would be no harvest, but the Word of God had been seeded there in the past.

Jesus had waiting on the exact time the Father wanted him to minister to the Gentiles with the most impact.

Jesus seizes the opportunity and responds with making time for those who are seeking to know God.

Because He made the time, many respond.

The lack of arrogance of the samaritans allowed for greater conversions.

The Jews at that time taught that you had to be a Jew to be part of God's family.

With so many claiming offense to the truth in the Bible.... “It is not mere ignorance that hinders men, but that, of their own accord, they search after grounds of offense, to prevent them from following the path to which God invites.” John Calvin

46 Nobleman - royal officer in service to the king. The local Tetrarch/King (Herod) of Galilee on Rome's behalf

This demonstrates faith in the Power of Christ.

People wanted physical healing but did not respond to the call to repent and turn from their disobedience to God, which provided spiritual healing that is eternal.

Jesus was cautioning against faith based on miracles, but the man had faith that Jesus could heal and was asking him in humility and belief (not challenging Him to prove himself as the Pharisees had been) to provide what He could.

The man asked in humility as a father and a man, not demanding as a ruler.

Jesus shows his power over physical health as the great healer. He shows that his power is not limited by distance.

The man believed twice - he believed Jesus could heal his son, he then believed that Jesus was the Christ, the savior of the world.

Faith is demonstrated by him returning to his home.

First miracle was "creating" wine, and the second was "restoring" health and life.

"the miracle is not nearly as important as the situation and the response of the people." Today people focus on the show of healing. Bible.org

Jesus looked to the father daily for the right place and time to be to talk the people that would have the most impact on the spread of the gospel.

Jesus asked the woman for help as a way to approach without being threatening or confrontational.

Jesus picked a relevant earthly thing she sought as a way to bridge the conversation to spiritual/eternal truth.

I need to seek guidance from God about where I go and when so that I will meet the people he wants me to minister to.

I need to go find people who are not seeking God and share the peace and rest they can find in God.

I need to discipline my mind and body so that they do not distract me from observing and serving the needs of those around me for the gospel.

How/when do I pray for God to act but in my prescriptive request limit the perspective, power, and purpose He has.

God, where do I need to develop discipline in my daily life over temporal desires and appetites?

Faith

When I ask God for provision of things or healing, do I move forward in faith that what he provides will be sufficient for me?

Topical Studies

Samaria

Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They separated from the southern tribes and set up their own center of worship there.

The Assyrians took over Israel and scattered the upper class to other areas of their empire. Other Assyrians were then brought into Israel and settled there. People tended to bring their gods with them and would also adopt the local gods of the new land.

People taken away were higher class, and left lower class. The people skewed the scriptures to endorse their belief that Mt Gerezim was where God was to be worshiped.

Within a short time, the Assyrians in Samaria were worshipping Yahweh as well as their own gods; within a couple centuries, they would be worshipping Yahweh exclusively. Thus was formed the only major schism in the Yahweh religion: the schism between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Samaritans, who were Assyrian and therefore non-Hebrew, adopted almost all of the Hebrew Torah and cultic practices; unlike the Jews, however, they believed that they could sacrifice to God outside of the temple in Jerusalem. The Jews frowned on the Samaritans, denying that a non-Hebrew had any right to be included among the chosen people and angered that the Samaritans would dare to sacrifice to Yahweh outside of Jerusalem. The Samaritan schism played a major role in the rhetoric of Jesus of Nazareth; and there are still Samaritans alive today around the city of Samaria. - Jewish Virtual Library

[2Ki 17:28-41 NKJV] 28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. 29 However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put [them] in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, [every] nation in the cities where they dwelt. 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 So they feared the LORD, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods--according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away. 34 To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the LORD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the LORD had commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel, 35 with whom the LORD had made a covenant and charged them, saying: "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; 36 "but the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. 37 "And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. 38 "And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 "But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." 40 However they did not obey, but they followed their former rituals. 41 So these nations feared the LORD, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children's children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.

GERIZIM, MOUNT (Heb. הַר גְּרִזִּים), mountain in Ereẓ Israel, S. of Shechem. After crossing the Jordan River, the children of Israel were commanded to build a stone altar on Mt. Ebal, to engrave upon it "all the words of this law" (Deut. 27:4–8), and to "set the blessing upon Mt. Gerizim, and the curse upon Mt. Ebal" (ibid. 11:29; 27:12–13). According to Joshua 8:30, this was Joshua's first act after the conquest of Ai. Har-Gerizzim is the present-day Jebel al-Ṭūr . Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal rise above the city of Shechem (Nablus), in the south and north respectively; Gerizim is approximately 2,600 ft. (881 m.) high and Ebal approximately 2,800 ft. (940 m.). Between them lies the valley of Shechem. Both hills are composed of oolithic limestone, ten springs descending from their slopes to the fertile and well-watered valley. Mt. Ebal has comparatively little vegetation and no water issuing along its southern side, because the slope of the tilted rock is northward; one exception is at the southeast end of Ebal, where a spring makes it possible for the village of Askar to exist. The slopes of Mt. Gerizim, on the other hand, are covered with trees to the very top of the ridge, and the slope of the rock causes the main springs to issue on the side of the valley facing the city of Shechem. The contrast in the amount of water on the two sides of the valley is very marked. A pilgrim's legend from the Middle Ages, which has often been reprinted, relates that Mt. Gerizim, the blessed mountain (Deut. 11:29), is pleasant and fertile, while Mt. Ebal, cursed by divine decree (ibid.), is desolate and barren.

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