גְּרִזִים
𐤂𐤓𐤆𐤉𐤌
Gerizim
H1630 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Gerizim refers to Mount Gerizim, a distinct mountain situated adjacent to Mount Ebal near Shechem (modern Nablus). The word designates this specific geographical feature and, in biblical texts, signifies primarily the mountain itself. In Deuteronomistic and later post-exilic contexts, Gerizim can be associated with its religious, cultural, or symbolic significance, such as the site of the blessing proclamation during the covenant ceremony (Deut 11:29; 27:12; Josh 8:33).
Semantic Range
Mount Gerizim (a named mountain near Shechem); mountain of blessing in covenant ceremony; geographical landmark; symbolic center for later Samaritan community
Root / Etymology
Derived from an unused noun, traditionally related to the root גָּרַז (garaz, 'to cut', 'to cut off') or possibly related semantically to גִּזְרִי (gizri, 'a piece cut off', 'section'). The plural form גְּרִזִים is likely an archaic toponym rather than a literal plural, being used as a proper noun for the specific mountain. The precise etymology of the toponym is uncertain; it may reflect a descriptive term 'cuts' or 'sections,' possibly alluding to the mountain's geological features.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Mount Gerizim appears in the Hebrew Bible chiefly as the counterpart to Mount Ebal, notable as the mountain of blessing in Deuteronomy and Joshua's covenant ceremonies. The name itself is not semantically a plural but reflects an ancient pattern of naming topographic or geographic entities in plural form (cf. 'Elohim' for a singular deity). In post-exilic and Second Temple periods, Mount Gerizim became a religious center for the Samaritan community, though this later association is not reflected in the Hebrew Bible's earlier texts. English translations typically render the term as 'Gerizim' and refer to it strictly as a place name. Later tradition associates Mount Gerizim with specific cultic and ethnic identity (e.g., Samaritans), but in the Hebrew Bible, its use is primarily as a landmark within covenantal and geographic narratives.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
plural of an unused noun from גָּרַז (compare גִּזְרִי), cut up (i.e. rocky); Gerizim, a mountain of Palestine; Gerizim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
גרז (Gerizim) — to cut off, to lop off, to hew down
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1629 | גָּרַז | I was cut off |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1630-01 |
גְּרִזִ֔ים | gerizim | HNp |
Gerizim | Gerizim the Cut-Mount | Gerizim | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1630-01 |
Deuteronomy 11:29 | גְּרִזִ֔ים | gerizim | HNp |
Gerizim | Gerizim the Cut-Mount | Gerizim |
H1630-01 |
Deuteronomy 27:12 | גְּרִזִ֔ים | gerizim | HNp |
Gerizim | Gerizim the Cut-Mount | Gerizim |
H1630-01 |
Joshua 8:33 | גְּרִזִ֔ים | gerizim | HNp |
Gerizim | Gerizim the Cut-Mount | Gerizim |
H1630-01 |
Judges 9:7 | גְּרִזִ֔ים | gerizim | HNp |
Gerizim | Gerizim the Cut-Mount | Gerizim |