How many times is mountain mentioned in the Bible?
The word mountain appears 137 times in the King James Version, in 130 verses. Counting every form (mountain, mountains), it appears 314 times in 294 verses across 40 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses mountain 212 times (389 with every form).
Mountain in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of mountain counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| mountain | 137 | 212 |
| mountains | 177 | 177 |
| Total | 314 | 389 |
Which books mention mountain most
Mountain appears in 40 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Ezekiel has the most (43), then Isaiah (42) and Psalms (24).
Also in: Numbers (6), 1 Samuel (6), 2 Chronicles (6), Job (6), Song of Solomon (5), Daniel (5), Joel (5), Amos (5), John (4), 2 Kings (3), Nahum (3), 1 Kings (2), Proverbs (2), Lamentations (2), Hosea (2), Habakkuk (2), Haggai (2), Hebrews (2), 2 Samuel (1), 1 Chronicles (1), Obadiah (1), Jonah (1), Zephaniah (1), Malachi (1), 1 Corinthians (1).
First and last mention of mountain
Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
The verse that uses it most is Joshua 11:21, 3 times (tied with Zechariah 6:1):
And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
Where the two translations differ
33 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 96 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
Genesis 14:10: counted in the KJV only
And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there, and those who remained fled to the hills.
Numbers 13:17: counted in the KJV only
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way by the South, and go up into the hill country.
Genesis 7:19: counted in the World English Bible only
And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
The waters rose very high on the earth. All the high mountains that were under the whole sky were covered.
Genesis 10:30: counted in the World English Bible only
And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
Their dwelling extended from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east.
Verses with mountain on our topic pages
16 verses that use mountain in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;
On: Protection, Fear, Hard Times
He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s Mountain.
On: Mental Health, What Does the Bible Say About Suicide? 25 Verses of Hope
though its waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling. Selah.
On: Fear, Hard Times
Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
On: Creation, What Does the Bible Say About Dinosaurs? 26 Verses
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
On: Peace, Evangelism
Elisha prayed, and said, “Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see.” Yahweh opened the young man’s eyes; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
On: Angels
Surely the mountains produce food for him, where all the animals of the field play.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds his people from this time forward and forever more.
On: Trust
You said in your heart, “I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north!
On: Demons
Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break out into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.
On: Comfort
For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says Yahweh who has mercy on you.
On: God's Love
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever: yet have you brought up my life from the pit, Yahweh my God.
On: Mental Health
Common questions
How many times is mountain in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 273 of the 314 uses are in the Old Testament and 41 in the New Testament. Mountain appears in 40 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Ezekiel has the most (43), then Isaiah (42) and Psalms (24).
Where is mountain first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 7:20: "Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered." The last is Revelation 21:10.
More word counts: tree, vine, eagle, horse, camel, fish, wolf, sparrow, or all 253 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-05.