Matthew Poole and continuators on John 4:20

20 Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain , and ye say that in Hierusalem is the place where men ought to worship .

The Mount Gerezim, which was an exceeding high Mountain, and near unto Sichem. Iacob made an Altar thereabouts, which he called El-Elohe-Israel, Gen. 33.20. Some say, that it was upon that Mountain that Abraham should have Offered up Isaac, Gen. 22. but that had another name. Certain it is, that from that Mountain Moses pronounced the Blessings, Deut. 27.12. But it is very probable that the Woman had respect to none of these, but to the common usage of the Samaritans, to Worship in a Temple built, upon this Mountain, in opposition to that at Hierusalem: The story of which will be very proper here to relate, for the full understanding of this Text. Sanballat was Governour of Samaria, Constituted by Darius; of this Sanballat we read in Nehemiah, who tells us that One of the Sons of Eliashib the High Priest was Son-in-law to this Sanballat the Horonite, wherefore I chased him from me, Neh. 13.28. This Son-in-law's Name (as Iosephus tells us) was Manasses. He was driven out of Hierusalem upon the account of the Covenant made, Ezra 10.3. That those who had Married strange Wives would turn them away. The Sacred story here leaving us, we must supply it out of Iosephus, who, Antiq. l. 11. cap. 8. tells us, that he being thus driven from the Sacrifice, applyed himself to Sanballat, and would have put his Wife away, which was Sanballat's Daughter; but Sanballat promised him, that if he would keep his Daughter as his Wife, he would not only continue him in the Priesthood, but make him an High-Priest, and build him a Temple like that at Hierusalem, upon Mount Gerezim, with the leave of Darius; upon this, Manasses staid with Sanballat, and there also resorted many to him whom Nehemiah had turned out of the Priesthood at Hierusalem for Marrying strange Wives. Sanballat was very near losing his Opportunity through the favour of Darius, by the Conquest of Darius by Alexander the Great. But it was regain'd by his Brother Iaddus his stubbornness, who was High Priest in Ierusalem, and refused to own the new Conqueror, which advantage Sanballat took, and offered Alexander the surrender of all places in his Trust to him; and being by that means ingratiated with Alexander the Great, he thereby obtained leave of him to build a Temple in Mount Gerezim, where his Son-in-law Manasses should be the High Priest, promising Alexander, that by this means the force of the Iews would be broken, so as there would be no danger of their Conspiring. Accordingly he presently built this Temple, and soon after dyed, leaving his Son-in-law Manasses, Brother to Iaddus the High Priest, in Hierusalem, High Priest in this new Temple, which afterwards proved an Asylum or Sanctuary for any who were Accused amongst the Iews at Hierusalem. Thus these two Temples stood for about 220 Years; then Hircanus an High Priest of the Iews at Hierusalem, destroyed it; but still they looked upon the Ground as Holy, and came thither to perform their Devotions. With reference to this Superstitious practice, the Woman of Samaria saith, Our Fathers Worshipped (that is, have used time out of mind to Worship) in this Mountain. And

the Iews hold that none might Worship God by Sacrifice any where but at Hierusalem, according to the Law, Deut. 12.14, 26.

Marginal references: Deut. 12, 6, 11. 1 Kings 9.3. 2 Chron. 7.12.