Lexical Summary Moresheth Gath: Moresheth Gath Original Word: מוֹרֶשֶׁת גַּת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Moresheth-gath From yarash and Gath; possession of Gath; Moresheth-Gath, a place in Palestine -- Moresheth-gath. see HEBREW yarash see HEBREW Gath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yarash and Gath Definition "possession," a place near Gath NASB Translation Moresheth-gath (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מוֺרֶ֫שֶׁת proper name, of a location apparently in neighbourhood of Gath Micah 1:14 (גַּת vocative, according to We; > most, who render M. of Gath); probably home of prophet Micah, see following Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Moresheth-gath combines the Hebrew idea of possession or inheritance (moresheth) with the Philistine city of Gath. The compound name therefore evokes the picture of a border-town that was regarded as Judah’s “inheritance adjacent to Gath.” Geographical Setting Situated in the Shephelah (lowland foothills) of Judah, Moresheth-gath lay a few miles east of the Philistine stronghold of Gath and south-west of Jerusalem. Its location along the primary invasion corridor between Egypt and the Judean hill country made it strategically vulnerable to the great Near-Eastern empires that marched through the Levant. Biblical Occurrence Micah 1:14 contains the sole explicit reference: “Therefore you will give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel.” (Berean Standard Bible) The verse forms part of Micah’s series of prophetic wordplays on Judean towns threatened by the coming Assyrian advance. Association with the Prophet Micah Micah 1:1 identifies the prophet as “Micah of Moresheth,” a shortened form of Moresheth-gath. The prophet’s personal roots in this frontier village sharpen his impassioned warnings: he is not a distant observer but a native son whose own community stands in the path of judgment. Historical Context During the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah (eighth century B.C.), Assyria expanded aggressively. The Shephelah towns—including Lachish, Mareshah, and likely Moresheth-gath—were among the first targets when Sennacherib’s forces swept through in 701 B.C. The prophetic threat in Micah 1 anticipates this very devastation, a judgment for covenant infidelity. Prophetic Significance in Micah 1 1. Wordplay of judgment: “Parting gifts” (Hebrew shilluchim) signals both a dowry metaphor and the forced dispatching of citizens into exile. Theological and Ministry Insights • Divine ownership: Though near Philistia, Moresheth-gath belonged to the LORD’s allotment for Judah; persistent rebellion forfeited that stewardship. Believers today are reminded that all possessions and ministries remain God’s inheritance, to be managed faithfully (1 Corinthians 4:2). Archaeological and Later Tradition Tell el-Judeideh and Khirbet el-Muraqah have both been suggested as the site of ancient Moresheth-gath. Excavations reveal eighth-century B.C. fortifications abruptly destroyed—consistent with an Assyrian onslaught. Early Christian pilgrims associated the locale with the “village of Micah,” preserving its memory into the Byzantine era. Key Lessons for the Church 1. Proximity to compromise demands vigilance; a border location can be spiritually perilous if covenant identity is neglected. Forms and Transliterations גַּ֑ת גת Gat gaṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Micah 1:14 HEB: עַ֖ל מוֹרֶ֣שֶׁת גַּ֑ת בָּתֵּ֤י אַכְזִיב֙ NAS: On behalf of Moresheth-gath; The houses KJV: presents to Moreshethgath: the houses INT: parting behalf of Moresheth-gath the houses of Achzib |