MORIAH  , an obscure

place-name of ancient Palestine with apparently two distinct connotations . (1) A land entirely unknown, on a mountain in which Abraham offered Isaac (Gen. xxii . 2) . The text is probably corrupt: some have suggested " land of the Amorites," others " land of Midian." The etymology of the word is equally obscure . Traditionally, of course, " the land of Moriah " is identified with the site of the Temple at Jerusalem,' except by the Samaritans and a few western scholars (such as Dean Stanley) who accept their belief that the mountain was Gerizim . (2) The upper part of the hill of Ophel, the threshing floor of Araunah, upon which Solomon erected the Temple, is once called Mount Moriah (2 Chron. iii . 1) . Whether this name be derived from the corruption in Genesis or not cannot be definitely decided; it very likely is . The testimony of Josephus, who often names the temple hill " Moriah," is of course not original, and of no weight . (R . A . S .