Real VoicesReal Voices
← Encyclopedia A–Z

Encyclopedia entry

Kirjathjearim

(the city of forests), first mentioned as one of the four cities of the Gibeonites, (Joshua 9:17) it next occurs as one of the landmarks of the northern boundary of Judah, ch (Joshua 15:9) and as the point at which the western and southern boundaries of Benjamin coincided, ch. (Joshua 18:14,15) and in the last two passages we find that it bore another, perhaps earlier, name—that of the great Canaanite deity Baal, namely Baalah and KIRJATH-BAAL. At this place the ark remained for twenty years. (1 Samuel 7:2) At the close of that time Kirjath-jearim lost its sacred treasure, on its removal by David to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. (1 Chronicles 13:5,6; 2 Chronicles 1:4; 2 Samuel 6:2) etc. To Eusebius and Jerome it appears to have been well known. They describe it as a village at the ninth mile between Jerusalem and Diospolis (Lydda). These requirements are exactly fulfilled in the small modern village of Kuriet-el-Enab—now usually known as Abu Gosh, from the robber chief whose headquarters it was—on the road from Jaffa and Jerusalem.

In the Bible

17

Verses where Kirjathjearim is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).

  • 1 Chronicles 2:50

    These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim,

  • 1 Chronicles 2:52

    These were the descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim: Haroeh, half the Manahathites,

  • 1 Chronicles 2:53

    and the clans of Kiriath-jearim—the Ithrites, Puthites, Shumathites, and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.

  • 1 Chronicles 13:5

    So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

  • 1 Chronicles 13:6

    David and all Israel went up to Baalah of Judah (that is, Kiriath-jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.

  • 1 Samuel 6:21

    So they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up with you.”

+11 more verses naming Kirjathjearim.

Scripture on Kirjathjearim

12

See all 12 +

Kirjathjearim references

14

See all 14 +

Sources · Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884)

Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.