Thanks for clearing up the Biblical side of this, Morwen. Here's what Tolkien had to say:
Quote:
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As for the 'land of Morīah' (note stress): that has no connexion (even externally) whatsoever. Internally there is no conceivable connexion between the mining of Dwarves and the story of Abraham. I utterly repudiate any such significances and symbolisms. My mind does not work that way; and (in my view) you are led astray by a purely fortuitous similarity, more obvious in spelling than speech, which cannot be justified from the real intended significance of my story.
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(from letter #297 (draught) to 'Mr. Rang').
Tolkien also gives the derivation of the name 'Moria': it is Sindarin, from
mor 'black' (as in 'Mordor', 'Morgoth', 'Morannon', etc),
iâ 'void, abyss', hence 'Black Chasm'. His "note stress" is meant to indicate that his word and that from the Bible are pronounced differently, as detailed above. Given this evidence, I think that the similarity in written form can be considered a coincidence.
[EDIT: I cross-posted with Morwen, so I've removed my own explanations of the Genesis story and the pronunciation of the two names]
[ April 18, 2003: Message edited by: The Squatter of Amon Rûdh ]