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•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.

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