Answer · confidence: partial
Do Genesis 22 and Deuteronomy 27 wording changes prove Samaritans split over Mount Gerizim?
Research question: Do the Masoretic and SP readings of Gen. 22 and Deut. 27 support the Mount Gerizim sectarian thesis when checked against the Septuagint, Dead Sea Scroll copies and other early witnesses?
The records show that the Septuagint is mixed on the question. It places the altar and inscribed stones of Deuteronomy 27:4 on Mount Gaibal (Ebal), not Gerizim 3, and it assigns the tribes who stand under the curse to Gaibal 7. It does link blessing with Gerizim in Deuteronomy 27:7-12 5 and places the blessing on Gerizim in 11:29 1. The records do not include any Dead Sea Scroll evidence or any early witness on Genesis 22, so that part of the question cannot be answered from these facts 16. The newest dated fact is from 2014, about twelve years old as of October 2026 24.
Checked 2026-10-22. Only documented and supported facts are used.
Dig deeper on this questionSources
[1] documented
Septuagint Deuteronomy 11:29 directs that the blessing be placed on Mount Garizim and the curse on Mount Gaibal.
"καὶ δώσεις εὐλογίαν ἐπʼ ὄρος Γαριζὶν, καὶ τὴν κατάραν ἐπʼ ὄρος Γαιβάλ."Deuteronomy 11:25-30 [Septuagint (Greek)]
[2] documented
The Samaritan Pentateuch uses a perfect tense verb in the Deuteronomy centralization formula in all twenty-one occurrences, where the Masoretic Text has an imperfect.
"the Samaritan Pentateuch has a perfect tense verb in this same formula in all twenty-one occurrences in Deuteronomy."Cult Centralization in the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Origins of Deuteronomy (2014)
[3] supported
In the Septuagint, Deuteronomy 27:4 places the building of the stone altar and the inscribed stones on Mount Gaibal (Ebal), not Mount Gerizim.
"στήσετε τοὺς λίθους τούτους, οὓς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, ἐν ὄρει Γαιβάλ, καὶ κονιάσεις αὐτοὺς κονίᾳ."Deuteronomy 27:7-12 [Septuagint (Greek)]
[4] supported
Adrian Schenker argued that the Samaritan reading has priority and that the Masoretic imperfect is the sectarian alteration, reversing the usual view that the Samaritan reading is sectarian.
"Adrian Schenker has recently argued persuasively for the priority of the Samaritan reading and that the mt ’s imperfect tense is, in fact, the sectarian alteration."Cult Centralization in the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Origins of Deuteronomy (2014)
[5] supported
In the Septuagint, the tribes who stand to pronounce the blessing are assigned to Mount Gerizim, while the curse is assigned to Mount Gaibal (Ebal), so Gerizim is linked to blessing in this text.
"οὗτοι στήσονται εὐλογεῖν τὸν λαὸν ἐν ὄρει Γαριζίν διαβάντες τὸν Ἰορδάνην"Deuteronomy 27:7-12 [Septuagint (Greek)]
[6] documented
Septuagint Deuteronomy 11:30 locates these mountains west of the Jordan, near Gilgal and beside a high oak.
"τὸ κατοικοῦν ἐπὶ δυσμῶν ἐχόμενον τοῦ Γολγὸλ πλησίον τῆς δρυὸς τῆς ὑψηλῆς;"Deuteronomy 11:25-30 [Septuagint (Greek)]
[7] documented
The Septuagint places the tribes who stand under the curse on Mount Gaibal (Ebal), which conflicts with a reading that puts the altar and curse on Gerizim.
"Καὶ οὗτοι στήσονται ἐπὶ τῆς κατάρας ἐν ὄρει Γαιβάλ"Deuteronomy 27:7-12 [Septuagint (Greek)]
[8] supported
The Masoretic-based English text of Deuteronomy 27:12 assigns the tribes who bless the people to stand on Mount Gerizim.
"These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are passed over the Jordan"Deuteronomy 27:13-18 [Hebrew Bible (JPS 1917 English, Sefaria)]
[9] documented
The Hebrew text instructs the Israelites to set up the plastered stones on Mount Ebal once they have crossed the Jordan.
"that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster."Deuteronomy 27:1-6 [Hebrew Bible (JPS 1917 English, Sefaria)]
[10] documented
The same passage assigns the tribes who pronounce the curse to Mount Ebal, the counterpart to Gerizim.
"and these shall stand upon mount Ebal for the curse"Deuteronomy 27:13-18 [Hebrew Bible (JPS 1917 English, Sefaria)]
[11] supported
Kennicott argued that later Jews changed the original Gerizim in Deuteronomy 27:4 and Joshua 8:30 into Ebal, so that the Samaritan copies preserve the original reading.
"they have undoubtedly changed the original Gerizim, which still stands in the Samaritan copies of the Pentateuch, into /bal"Book, page 326
[12] supported
The text assigns the tribes who stand to bless the people to Mount Gerizim, not Ebal.
"These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are passed over the Jordan"Deuteronomy 27:1-6 [Hebrew Bible (JPS 1917 English, Sefaria)]
[13] supported
The altar to be built is to be made of uncut stones, with no iron tool lifted upon them.
"And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones; thou shalt lift up no iron tool upon them."Deuteronomy 27:1-6 [Hebrew Bible (JPS 1917 English, Sefaria)]
[14] supported
Lupolt, quoted by Kennicott, reported that Mount Ebal was arid and barren while Mount Gerizim was watered by springs and fertile.
"montem Ebal contra plané aridum et sterilem esse"Book, page 326
[15] supported
The Hebrew text names Mount Ebal as the site of the altar described in Joshua 8:30-31, while the Samaritan text names Mount Gerizim.
"The present Hebrew text tells us in Mount Ebal, but the Samaritan text reads Mount Gerizim."Three months' residence at Nablus, page 362
[16] supported
The author argues that the site of Abraham's sacrifice is the natural altar on the summit of Mount Gerizim rather than Mount Moriah in Jerusalem.
"Rather we must look to that ancient Sanctuary of which I have already spoken, the natural altar on the summit of Mount Gerizim."Book, page 326