מוֹרֶה
𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤄
môwreh
H4175 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A term that primarily denotes a 'teacher' or 'instructor,' one who imparts knowledge or gives direction, especially in religious, ethical, or legal matters. In some contexts, the word may refer to the 'early rain,' specifically the autumnal rains at the start of the agricultural year, seen as a blessing in the land of Israel. Rarely, the word yields an association with 'archer' based on the broader root meaning, but this is not dominant in biblical usage.
Semantic Range
teacher, instructor, guide (in moral, legal, or religious matters); early/seasonal rain (especially autumn/planting season); (rare) archer
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ירה (yarah), which fundamentally means 'to shoot, to throw, to cast' but which also developed the secondary sense 'to instruct, to teach'—likely from the idea of aiming or directing one's words. The noun form מוֹרֶה (môreh) emerges as one who teaches or gives instruction, and, by further semantic extension, as the early rain (probably metaphorically as something 'sent forth').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, מוֹרֶה most commonly refers to a 'teacher' or someone who gives guidance or instruction, especially in religious or legal contexts (e.g., Isaiah 30:20, 'your teacher will not hide'). The sense as 'early rain' stems from an agricultural metaphor, with 'môreh' referring to the October-November rains crucial for planting in the land of Israel (Deuteronomy 11:14; Joel 2:23). Later Jewish tradition also preserves both senses. The use as 'archer' is rare and better attested with verbal and other nominal forms directly from יָרָה. In English Bible translations, 'teacher' is standard, but 'early rain' appears in agricultural contexts. The dual nature of the word (teacher and rain) reflects both concrete and metaphorical developments from the root, and care should be taken not to conflate these senses without context. The association with the term 'Jew' is anachronistic for this entry; usage pertains to the Israelite and Judahite settings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from יָרָה; (see יוֹרֶה); an archer; also teacher or teaching; also the early rain; (early) rain.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ירה (y-r-h) — to throw, to shoot, to cast, to instruct, to teach
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3138 | יוֹרֶה | his early rain |
| H3139 | יוֹרָה | Autumn-Rain |
| H3140 | יוֹרַי | Rain-Causer |
| H3384 | יָרָה | the shooters |
| H3385 | יְרוּאֵל | El-Founded Place |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4175-02 |
מוֹרֶ֥ה | moreh | HNcmsa |
early-rain | Instructor | 2 |
H4175-01 |
הַ/מּוֹרֶ֖ה | hamoreh | HTd/Ncmsa |
early-rain | the teacher | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4175-01 |
Joel 2:23 | הַ/מּוֹרֶ֖ה | hamoreh | HTd/Ncmsa |
early-rain | the teacher |
H4175-02 |
Joel 2:23 | מוֹרֶ֥ה | moreh | HNcmsa |
early-rain | Instructor |
H4175-02 |
Psalms 84:7 | מוֹרֶֽה | moreh | HNcmsa |
the teacher | Instructor |