Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. To this day every Jew, as well as Mussulman, who passes the tomb of Absalom, in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, casts a stone at it, repeating along with the act the words of this malediction. These blessings and curses, attendant on disobedience to the divine will, which had been revealed as a law from heaven, be it observed, are given in the form of a declaration, not a wish, as the words should be rendered, 'Cursed is he,' and not "Cursed be he." The physical character and appearance of these remarkable mountains did not determine the choice of which should be the mount of blessing and which that of cursing. х `Eeybaal (H5858), indeed, is derived by Gesenius from 'aabal, to strip a tree of its leaves, as if it were a bare, rugged, and desolate hill. Gªriziy (H1630), ought, according to this etymological principle, to be traceable to some root indicating its smiling and flowery appearance.] But it is generally supposed to have obtained its name from an aboriginal tribe-the Gerizzi (1 Samuel 27:8, margin) - being 'mount of the Gerizzites' (cf. Judges 12:15).
The two mounts are not very different in point of character: parts of them exhibit the appearance of bare rocks, while other parts of them appear richly dressed with artificial culture-Ebal covered with cactus gardens, and Gerizim clad with olive trees. Objections have been urged against the alleged physical impossibility of the mighty multitude, ranged in equal divisions on opposite hills, being able to hear and understand the precepts as they were successively enunciated. In answer to this allegation, it may be sufficient understand the precepts as they were successively enunciated. In answer to this allegation, it may be sufficient here to say:
(1) That people standing on these two hills can, in the clear, elastic atmosphere of Palestine, be perfectly heard by each other conversing or reading, without any extraordinary straining of voice;
and
(2) That the Levites, who were stationed at the head of different companies (Deuteronomy 27:9; Deuteronomy 27:14) repeated the blessings and curses as they were pronounced. (See further the notes at Joshua 8:30-35.)