מֹרִיָּה (mo.riy.yah)
mo.riy.yah
(Mount) Moriah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Moriyyah, meaning “chosen by Jehovah,” appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, anchoring two pivotal moments in Israel’s history. It first designates the remote location where Abraham prepared to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering (Genesis 22:2). This event established the site as a place of profound testing and divine provision.
Centuries later, the term reappears to identify the specific hill in Jerusalem where King Solomon constructed the Temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). The convergence of these references suggests that early biblical tradition viewed the Temple mount not merely as a royal project, but as the same ground sanctified by Abraham’s faith. The name itself underscores that this location was set apart by God’s choice rather than human strategy.
Though the text does not explicitly equate the two sites in Genesis, the chronological link in Chronicles invites readers to see the Temple as the fulfillment of the patriarch’s obedience. The word carries theological weight by connecting the origin of Israel’s worship with its most sacred physical structure, highlighting continuity in divine presence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Moriyyah points to a place set apart by God’s choice rather than human planning. In Genesis, it is the remote location where Abraham faced his deepest test, trusting that God would provide even when the path seemed impossible. This moment reveals a God who values faithful obedience and promises to meet us in our most difficult seasons.
Centuries later, this same hill became the foundation for Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. The connection between these two events shows that worship is not about grand human achievements but about responding to God’s presence. When we bring our struggles to Him, we join a long line of believers who have trusted His provision on ground He has sanctified.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God prepares the place for our sacrifices before we even arrive. Whether you are facing a personal trial or seeking to understand the depth of worship, remember that the same God who provided for Abraham is present with you today. His promises remain steady, offering hope and stability in an uncertain world.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ Moriah2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/מֹּרִיָּ֑ה1×
- הַ/מּ֣וֹרִיָּ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 22:2
He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
This verse establishes Moriyyah as the site of profound testing where Abraham’s faith was proven through his willingness to offer Isaac.
-
II Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father, which he prepared in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Here the term identifies the specific Jerusalem location where Solomon built the Temple, linking the patriarch’s obedience to Israel’s central place of worship.