מוֹרִיָּה
𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤄
Moriyah
H4179 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a specific location, 'Moriah,' best known as the site where Abraham was instructed to offer Isaac (Genesis 22:2) and later (according to 2 Chronicles 3:1) as the hill where Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem. The precise meaning is uncertain, but it may refer to a place chosen, seen, or shown by Yahweh. Its use is restricted to specific narratives involving significant religious events.
Semantic Range
proper noun; the name of a sacred location; hill or region; site of religious testing or temple building; rarely as a general place name
Root / Etymology
Moriah (מוֹרִיָּה or מֹרִיָּה) is likely a compound of the root רָאָה (to see) and the theophoric element יָהּ (a shortened form of the divine name YHWH). The exact morphological construction is debated, and some consider alternative derivations or wordplays, given the ambiguity of Hebrew place name formation. Thus, etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the patriarchal narrative (Genesis 22:2), Moriah is introduced as 'the land of Moriah,' the location where Abraham is to offer Isaac. In the monarchic period (2 Chronicles 3:1), it is identified as the site where Solomon builds the temple in Jerusalem, linking the patriarchal tradition with the temple mount. There is no mention of an occupied settlement named Moriah. The term does not recur outside of these contexts. Both narratives ascribe significant religious meaning to the locale: as the site of divine encounter and cultic establishment. English translations often retain 'Moriah' in transliteration without explanation, though some traditions (following the KJV and others) render interpretations such as 'seen by the LORD' in footnotes or commentary. The meaning and historical identification of Moriah are subject to debate, with classical and later Jewish tradition equating it with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, but this is a retrospective connection not explicit in every biblical context. Distinct from other place names formed from the root רָאָה ('to see'), the word is unique in its usage. Some ancient translations (e.g., Septuagint) render it simply as 'the high land' or omit the name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or מֹרִיָּה; from רָאָה and יָהּ; seen of Jah; Morijah, a hill in Palestine; Moriah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ראה (r-ʾ-h) — to see, perceive, appear
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1254 | בָּרָא | and he saw |
| H3372 | יָרֵא | he sees |
| H4758 | מַרְאֶה | in the appearance |
| H4759 | מַרְאָה | in the visible-manifestation |
| H4760 | מֻרְאָה | his prominent crop |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4179-01 |
הַ/מֹּרִיָּ֑ה | hamoriyah | HTd/Np |
Moriah | the Seen-of-Yah | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4179-01 |
Genesis 22:2 | הַ/מֹּרִיָּ֑ה | hamoriyah | HTd/Np |
of Moriah | the Seen-of-Yah |
H4179-01 |
2 Chronicles 3:1 | הַ/מּ֣וֹרִיָּ֔ה | hamoriyah | HTd/Np |
Moriah | the Seen-of-Yah |