מוֹרָשׁ (mo.rash)
mo.rash
possession
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun morash denotes a possession or inheritance, specifically one that is held as an enduring right rather than temporary use. In the Old Testament, it appears only three times, yet its context reveals a sharp distinction between legal ownership and casual holding. It refers to property that belongs to someone by right of birth or covenant, carrying the weight of permanent security.
Its usage highlights the tension between rightful heirs and those who seize land unjustly. In Obadiah 1:17, it describes the mountain of Zion as a holy possession, emphasizing that God’s people retain their inheritance through faithfulness. Conversely, Job 24:2 uses the term for land seized by the powerful, illustrating how morash can be stolen or violated. Isaiah 61:11 also employs it to describe the earth’s produce as an inheritance given by God.
This word underscores the biblical theme that true ownership is grounded in divine promise, not human force. It reminds readers that what is truly possessed is secured by covenant loyalty, and that injustice against such rights is a serious offense in God’s sight.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word morash points to something held by right, not just by chance. It describes an inheritance secured by covenant rather than temporary use. When we think about our lives, this concept offers a quiet stability. We are not merely passing through; we have a place that belongs to us because of who God is.
Scripture reminds us that true possession comes from divine promise, not human force. In Obadiah 1:17, Mount Zion is called a holy possession, showing that our security rests in faithfulness to God. This perspective helps us face uncertainty with peace, knowing our ultimate inheritance is safe in His hands.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- possessions/ their1×
- [the] wishes of1×
- <into>/ a possession of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מוֹרָֽשֵׁי/הֶם\׃1×
- מ֖וֹרָשֵׁ֣י1×
- לְ/מוֹרַ֥שׁ1×
Key Verses
-
Obadiah 1:17
But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
This verse uses morash to describe the enduring, holy status of Mount Zion as a possession secured by God's covenant with Jacob.
-
Isaiah 14:23
“I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water. I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says Yahweh of Armies.
Here the term appears in a judgment context, showing how a land intended for human habitation becomes a desolate possession under divine decree.