מוֹרָשָׁה
𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤔𐤄
môwrâshâh
H4181 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Inheritance, property that is to be or has been received as a lasting possession, especially as a hereditary possession passed down within familial, tribal, or national lines. The term emphasizes the aspect of transmission from one generation to the next, especially with reference to land or territory, but can also refer to broader concepts of enduring legacy or heritage.
Semantic Range
inherited possession, inheritance (especially land), hereditary property, lasting or perpetual possession, heritage
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ירש (yarash), meaning 'to possess, take possession, inherit.' The feminine noun form מוֹרָשָׁה (morashah) denotes something passed down or assigned as possession, typically with a focus on hereditary or permanent possession, especially land.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מוֹרָשָׁה occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Exodus 6:8, Ezekiel 33:24, and Ezekiel 36:2), almost exclusively in the context of the Israelite people inheriting the land promised to the ancestors—particularly the land of Canaan. The term underscores the perpetual and generational transmission of land or rights as an enduring possession, in contrast to נַחֲלָה (nachalah), which more broadly denotes an allotted portion, inheritance, or possession, often based on legal processes. English translations frequently render מוֹרָשָׁה as “possession” or “heritage,” but may not fully convey the nuance of inherited, perpetual possession. In later tradition and post-biblical Hebrew, morashah can acquire the broader sense of spiritual or cultural legacy, a development stemming from the biblical concept. In the biblical period, the emphasis remains on concrete inheritance, especially of land, and how it defines communal and individual identity.
Translation Consistency
מֹורָשָׁה most commonly refers to property or land passed down as a hereditary possession. "Inheritance" is the natural, typical English noun that captures the legal/possessional sense (especially land/territory) while also covering broader heritage/legacy uses; it therefore provides a consistent, natural rendering across all occurrences.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of מוֹרָשׁ; a possession; heritage, inheritance, possession.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ירש (y-r-sh) — possess, dispossess, inherit
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3388 | יְרוּשָׁא | inherited possession |
| H3423 | יָרַשׁ | you made us possess |
| H3425 | יְרֻשָּׁה | inheritance-possession |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4181-01 |
לְ/מוֹרָשָֽׁה | lemorashah | HR/Ncfsa |
for a possession | for an inherited possession | for an inherited possession | 6 |
H4181-02 |
מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה | morashah | HNcfsa |
as an inheritance | hereditary possession | hereditary possession | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4181-02 |
Exodus 6:8 | מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה | morashah | HNcfsa |
as an inheritance | hereditary possession | hereditary possession |
H4181-02 |
Deuteronomy 33:4 | מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה | morashah | HNcfsa |
inheritance | hereditary possession | hereditary possession |
H4181-01 |
Ezekiel 11:15 | לְ/מוֹרָשָֽׁה | lemorashah | HR/Ncfsa |
for a possession | for an inherited possession | for an inherited possession |
H4181-01 |
Ezekiel 25:4 | לְ/מֽוֹרָשָׁ֗ה | lemorashah | HR/Ncfsa |
for a possession | for an inherited possession | for an inherited possession |
H4181-01 |
Ezekiel 25:10 | לְ/מֽוֹרָשָׁ֑ה | lemorashah | HR/Ncfsa |
for a possession | for an inherited possession | for an inherited possession |
H4181-01 |
Ezekiel 33:24 | לְ/מוֹרָשָֽׁה | lemorashah | HR/Ncfsa |
as a possession | for an inherited possession | for an inherited possession |
H4181-01 |
Ezekiel 36:2 | לְ/מֽוֹרָשָׁ֖ה | lemorashah | HR/Ncfsa |
for a possession | for an inherited possession | for an inherited possession |
H4181-02 |
Ezekiel 36:3 | מֽוֹרָשָׁה֙ | morashah | HNcfsa |
possession | hereditary possession | hereditary possession |
H4181-01 |
Ezekiel 36:5 | לְ/מ֨וֹרָשָׁ֜ה | lemorashah | HR/Ncfsa |
as a possession | for an inherited possession | for an inherited possession |