Moresheth-Gath ( Hebrew: מוֹרֶשֶׁת גַּת), also Moreshet-Gat, was a town of the tribe of Judah in ancient Israel mentioned in the Bible. It was located in the Shephelah region between Lachish and Achzib.
The name Moresheth-Gath appears only once in the Hebrew Scriptures, inscribed in a verse taken from Micah 1:14. Biblical exegetes, Avraham ibn Ezra and David Kimhi, both explain the word as being "a place-name in the land of the Philistines," Kimhi adding that the name implies "the inheritance of Gath," namely, the city of Gath which was captured by David and which came into his inheritance ( 1 Chronicles 18:1); moresheth, in Hebrew, being derived from the Hebrew yerushah (ירושה= lit. "inheritance"). [1] Jonathan ben Uzziel's Aramaic Targum, on the same verse, does not write Moreshet as a proper noun, but rather explains the word as a verb, meaning, "those who inherit Gath" (מחסיני גת), which is also the same approach taken by Rashi, in his commentary on the verse. [1]
Others have argued that the name Moresheth-Gath means "possession of Gath", and that since Gath was the city of origin of Goliath, it has been speculated that Moresheth held a subservient relationship with the Philistine city. [2] Wellhausen renders the passage in Micah "Thou must let go Moresheth, O Gath." [3]
Later scholars of biblical literature have understood Moresheth-Gath to be a place-name written in the construct state, meaning, "Maresha of Gath". [4] Maresha is mentioned as the home town of the prophet Micah in the Biblical Book of Micah [5] and the Book of Jeremiah [6] The town was possibly also connected with Eliezer the prophet, [7] and may have been one of Rehoboam's fortified towns [8] [9] When mentioned in the Bible, it is often in connection with Lachish, [10] Keilah, Achzib and Mareshah. [11]
It may also be the city Muchrashti, [9] mentioned in the Amarna letters, [12] and not coincidentally, as the town was located on an important route to Egypt and the south, explaining its fortification by Rehoboam. [13]
Its strategic location led to its capture by Sennacherib in his attack on Judah in 701 BC. [14] Centuries later, both Vespasian and Saladin camped nearby on the eve of sacking Jerusalem. [15]
Moresheth-Gath ( Hebrew: מוֹרֶשֶׁת גַּת), also Moreshet-Gat, was a town of the tribe of Judah in ancient Israel mentioned in the Bible. It was located in the Shephelah region between Lachish and Achzib.
The name Moresheth-Gath appears only once in the Hebrew Scriptures, inscribed in a verse taken from Micah 1:14. Biblical exegetes, Avraham ibn Ezra and David Kimhi, both explain the word as being "a place-name in the land of the Philistines," Kimhi adding that the name implies "the inheritance of Gath," namely, the city of Gath which was captured by David and which came into his inheritance ( 1 Chronicles 18:1); moresheth, in Hebrew, being derived from the Hebrew yerushah (ירושה= lit. "inheritance"). [1] Jonathan ben Uzziel's Aramaic Targum, on the same verse, does not write Moreshet as a proper noun, but rather explains the word as a verb, meaning, "those who inherit Gath" (מחסיני גת), which is also the same approach taken by Rashi, in his commentary on the verse. [1]
Others have argued that the name Moresheth-Gath means "possession of Gath", and that since Gath was the city of origin of Goliath, it has been speculated that Moresheth held a subservient relationship with the Philistine city. [2] Wellhausen renders the passage in Micah "Thou must let go Moresheth, O Gath." [3]
Later scholars of biblical literature have understood Moresheth-Gath to be a place-name written in the construct state, meaning, "Maresha of Gath". [4] Maresha is mentioned as the home town of the prophet Micah in the Biblical Book of Micah [5] and the Book of Jeremiah [6] The town was possibly also connected with Eliezer the prophet, [7] and may have been one of Rehoboam's fortified towns [8] [9] When mentioned in the Bible, it is often in connection with Lachish, [10] Keilah, Achzib and Mareshah. [11]
It may also be the city Muchrashti, [9] mentioned in the Amarna letters, [12] and not coincidentally, as the town was located on an important route to Egypt and the south, explaining its fortification by Rehoboam. [13]
Its strategic location led to its capture by Sennacherib in his attack on Judah in 701 BC. [14] Centuries later, both Vespasian and Saladin camped nearby on the eve of sacking Jerusalem. [15]