מוֹרָט
obstinate, i.e. independent
Definition
The Hebrew word מוֹרָט (môwrâṭ) is a passive participle meaning 'peeled,' 'stripped,' or 'made bare.' It describes something that has been denuded of its outer covering, specifically referring to the removal of bark from a tree or plant. In its two biblical occurrences in Isaiah 18, it is used metaphorically to describe a people whose land is stripped bare by rivers, likely symbolizing vulnerability or judgment. The gloss 'obstinate' or 'independent' found in some lexicons is a derived, figurative interpretation based on the imagery of being stripped away from reliance on others, but the primary, literal meaning is 'peeled.'
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice, both in Isaiah 18, within a prophetic oracle concerning Cush (modern-day Sudan/Ethiopia). In Isaiah 18:2, it describes a nation 'of polished (or peeled) appearance,' possibly referring to smooth, hairless skin or, more likely in context, a land whose vegetation is stripped by waterways, making its people visible and exposed. In Isaiah 18:7, the same term is used again for a people 'peeled' from their place, perhaps indicating being plundered or gathered. The usage is poetic and metaphorical, emphasizing exposure and vulnerability as part of divine judgment.
Etymology
The noun מוֹרָט (môwrâṭ) is derived from the root יָרַט (yāraṭ, H3399), which means 'to throw down' or 'to cast off.' The passive participle form gives the sense of 'something that has been cast off' or 'stripped away,' hence 'peeled.' This root is rare, and מוֹרָט is its only derived nominal form in the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
The word מוֹרָט contributes to the theme of divine judgment and human vulnerability in Isaiah's prophecy. Its imagery of being 'peeled' or 'stripped bare' visually communicates the idea of a nation being exposed before God, stripped of its defenses and natural covering. This enriches the reading of Isaiah 18 by highlighting that even powerful, distant nations are subject to God's sovereign scrutiny and action. The metaphor underscores that no people can hide from God's purposes, whether for judgment or for gathering.
In an agricultural society, the image of a 'peeled' plant or tree would immediately convey a state of unnatural exposure, weakness, and potential death, as the bark protects the living layer underneath. The description of a people as 'peeled' in Isaiah 18:2 might also allude to cultural practices of body hair removal, which could denote a distinctive appearance or a state of ritual preparation. The primary force of the metaphor, however, is the vulnerability of a land whose protective vegetation has been cleared by flooding rivers, a recognizable peril in the ancient Near East.
קָלַף (qālaph, H7043) — a more common verb meaning 'to peel' or 'to strip off,' used for skin or bark. גִּלָּה (gillâ, H1540) — means 'to uncover, expose, reveal,' focusing on the act of removal rather than the peeled state itself.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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