Benjamin Chapman

Mount Moriah

"This name occurs twice in the Bible. In Gen 22:2 Abraham was commanded to go to the land of Moriah and offer his son as a burnt offering. The only note of location in the text is that the place was three days distance from Beersheba. The other Biblical reference is 2 Chron 3:1, which names the site of the building of Solomon's temple as Mount Moriah. Christian tradition has related both references to the site of the Dome of the Rock mosque, where there is a huge rock 17.7 by 15.5 m. (58 by 51 ft.), called the Sacred Rock. The rock appears as though it may have been used for sacrifices in ancient times. There are channels cut into it, and there is a large room cut out of the rock beneath. 

There is no archaeological evidence to date the use of the rock for sacrifices, but there is little doubt that this was the site of the temple and the threshing floor of Araunah, which David purchased to make his offering to God."