Moreh
“Teacher or one who gives direction”
Summary
Moreh was the name of two biblical locations: the oak or terebinth grove near Shechem where Abraham first camped in Canaan, and the hill in the Valley of Jezreel where the Midianites encamped before Gideon's attack.
☩The Oak of Moreh
The oak (or terebinth) of Moreh near Shechem was Abraham's first recorded stopping place after entering Canaan. Here, close to the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, the Lord appeared to Abraham, who built an altar to Jehovah in response to the promise that his descendants would possess the land. This was the first of the series of altars that marked Abraham's journey through the Promised Land. Under this same oak, Jacob later buried his household's idols before journeying to Bethel, and Joshua set up a great stone by the sanctuary of Jehovah.
☩The Hill of Moreh
The hill of Moreh was located on the northern side of the Valley of Jezreel, where the Midianites and Amalekites encamped before Gideon's famous night attack. The name means 'teacher's hill,' suggesting association with an oracular or prophetic figure. This hill is generally identified with Jebel ed-Duhy, often called 'Little Hermon,' which rises boldly from the northern edge of the vale. The villages of Shunem, Endor, and Nain were situated on or near this hill.
☩Gideon's Battle Setting
Gideon's small force of three hundred men occupied the slopes near the spring of Harod (modern Ain Jalood) on the northeastern slope of Mount Gilboa, while the vast Midianite host lay north of them at the base of the hill of Moreh. Two or three miles of the valley floor lay between the opposing forces—enough space for Midian's innumerable host that lay 'like grasshoppers for multitude.' The terrain was ideally suited for Gideon's surprise night attack with torches, trumpets, and pitchers.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Moreh," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VI (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Moreh, Hill of," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Moreh," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).