- MOREH an archer, teacher; fruitful. (1.) A Canaanite probably who
inhabited the district south of Shechem, between Mounts Ebal and
Gerizim, and gave his name to the “plain” there (Genesis 12:6). Here at
this “plain,” or rather (R.V.) “oak,” of Moreh, Abraham built his first altar
in the land of Palestine; and here the Lord appeared unto him. He
afterwards left this plain and moved southward, and pitched his tent
between Bethel on the west and Hai on the east (Genesis 12:7, 8). - MOREH, THE HILL OF probably identical with “little Hermon,” the
modern Jebel ed-Duhy, or perhaps one of the lower spurs of this
mountain. It is a gray ridge parallel to Gilboa on the north; and between the
two lay the battle-field, the plain of Jezreel (q.v.), where Gideon
overthrew the Midianites (Judges 7:1-12). - MORESHETH-GATH possession of the wine-press, the birthplace of the
prophet Micah (1:14), who is called the “Morasthite” (Jeremiah 26:18).
This place was probably a suburb of Gath. - MORIAH the chosen of Jehovah. Some contend that Mount Gerizim is
meant, but most probably we are to regard this as one of the hills of
Jerusalem. Here Solomon’s temple was built, on the spot that had been the
threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite (2 Samuel 24:24, 25; 2 Chronicles
3:1). It is usually included in Zion, to the north-east of which it lay, and
from which it was separated by the Tyropoean valley. This was “the land
of Moriah” to which Abraham went to offer up his son Isaac (Genesis
22:2). It has been supposed that the highest point of the temple hill, which
is now covered by the Mohammedan Kubbetes-Sakhrah, or “Dome of the
Rock,” is the actual site of Araunah’s threshing-floor. Here also, one
thousand years after Abraham, David built an altar and offered sacrifices to
God. (See JERUSALEM; NUMBERING THE PEOPLE.) - MORTAR (Hebrews homer), cement of lime and sand (Genesis 11:3;
Exodus 1:14); also potter’s clay (Isaiah 41:25; Nah. 3:14). Also Hebrews
‘aphar, usually rendered “dust,” clay or mud used for cement in building
(Leviticus 14:42, 45).
Mortar for pulverizing (Proverbs 27:22) grain or other substances by
means of a pestle instead of a mill. Mortars were used in the wilderness for
pounding the manna (Numbers 11:8). It is commonly used in Palestine at
the present day to pound wheat, from which the Arabs make a favourite
dish called kibby.