E tutto Israele, i loro anziani, i loro ufficiali e i loro giudici, stavano da questa parte l'arca e da quella parte davanti ai sacerdoti i Leviti, che portavano l'arca dell'alleanza dell'Eterno, nonché lo straniero come il nativo ; metà davanti al monte Gerizim e metà davanti al monte Ebal; come Mosè, il servitore dell'Eterno aveva comandato all'inizio, che avrebbero benedetto il popolo di Israele.
Jerusalem Talmud Sotah
MISHNAH: Six tribes climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and six tribes climbed to the top of Mount Ebal83Deut. 27:12–13; Jos. 8:33. while the Cohanim, the Levites, and the ark were below in the middle. The Cohanim were surrounding the ark, the Levites the Cohanim, and all of Israel [were] on both sides, as it was said84Jos. 8:33.: “And all of Israel, its Elders, its policemen, its judges were standing on both sides of the ark …” They turned their faces towards Mount Gerizim and opened with the blessing: “Blessed be the man who will not make a hewn or molten [image], the Eternal’s abomination, made by an artisan, and will not put it up in secret.” These and those did answer and say: Amen. They turned their faces towards Mount Ebal and opened with the curse85Deut. 27:15.: “Cursed be the man who would make a hewn or molten [image], the Eternal’s abomination, made by an artisan, and would put it up in secret.” These and those did answer and say: Amen, until they finished blessings and curses.
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Jerusalem Talmud Sotah
Why does the verse122In Jos. 8:33, those who went to Mount Gerizim are חֶצְיוֹ “half”, but those on Mount Ebal are וְהַחֶצְיוֹ “and the half”. The appearance of the definite article has to be explained. say: “and the half of it”? This teaches that a minority was on Mount Gerizim and a majority on Mount Ebal123Based on the figures of Num. 26, there would be about 20’000 fewer persons on Mount Gerizim than on Mount Ebal, the Levites not counted. Since the Levites were counted separately, as unfit for war, and they were counted from one month of age, the numbers cannot be compared. Including children from the age of one month, there were only 23’000 Levites.. Why? Because the tribe of Levi was not completely there. For if the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would have been equal. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: If the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would not have been equal. Why? Since already 24’000 had fallen at Shiṭṭim from the tribe of Simeon124In the count of Num. 1, the tribe of Simeon had 59’300 warriors, but in Num. 26, that number had shrunk to 22’200. The people who had died at Shiṭṭim were 24’000 (Num. 25:9). This is less than the total diminution of the tribe of Simeon.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, if the tribe of Levi had been completely there, they would have been equal125This is difficult to understand. Following Jos. 4:13, the Transjordanian tribes together delivered “about 40’000 frontline soldiers”. There is no indication that the Transjordanien tribe of Manasse was counted separately. In any case, the data in Scripture are insufficient to express any opinion in the matter.. Why? Because from the tribes of Reuben and Gad only 40’000 front line troops came there.
