Map of Jerusalem

Indiana T. Zones
Map of Jerusalem
Base Imagery Courtesty of NASA

The Dome of the Rock is nearly universally understood to be located on Mount Moriah upon the exact site that was occupied in ancient times by the Jewish temples. In this case, the red lines bounding the Dome of the Rock denote the approximate site of Herod’s Temple.

Unfortunately, temples for YHWH worship were clearly to be located on Mount Zion, NOT on Mount Moriah. The City of David occupied most of the top of Mount Zion. In ancient times this area was known as Jebus, the fortress where the Jebusites lived.

Psalm 132:13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation: ¹⁴ 'This is My resting-place for ever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it. (JPS)
(Emphasis added)

Psalm 48:2 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, in the city of our God, His holy mountain, ³ Fair in situation, the joy of the whole earth; even mount Zion, the uttermost parts of the north, the city of the great King. (JPS) (Emphasis added)

Deuteronomy 12:8 Ye shall not do after all that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes; ⁹ for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth thee. ¹⁰ But when ye go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God causeth you to inherit, and He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; ¹¹ then it shall come to pass that the place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord. ¹² And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and the Levite that is within your gates, forasmuch as he hath no portion nor inheritance with you. ¹³ Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; ¹⁴ but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee. (JPS) (Emphasis added)

2 Chronicles 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father; for which provision had been made in the Place of David, in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. (JPS) (Emphasis Added)

2 Samuel 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. ⁶ And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither. ⁷ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. ⁸ And David said on that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, (water shaft) and smite the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul. Wherefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he cannot come into the house. ⁹ And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. (ASV) (Emphasis added)

"Wherefore they say, 'There are the blind and the lame; he cannot come into the house.'"

The Western Wall of the former temples is known today as the Wailing Wall, but unfortunately, few are wailing for the right reasons. It would be better to wail that a temple was ever on that location than to lament its loss. So call the most skillful at wailing, but let them wail for the right reasons.

Amos 5:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord: Lamentation shall be in all the broad places, and they shall say in all the streets: 'Alas! alas!' and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and proclaim lamentation to such as are skilful of wailing. ¹⁷ And in all vineyards shall be lamentation; for I will pass through the midst of thee, saith the Lord. ¹⁸ Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! Wherefore would ye have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light. ¹⁹ As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; and went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. ²⁰ Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it? ²¹ I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. ²² Yea, though ye offer me burnt-offerings and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts. ²³ Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; and let Me not hear the melody of thy psalteries. (JPS) (Emphasis added)