Kirjath-jearim
Dictionary of Bible Names

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Kirjath-jearim (Kiriath-jearim)
Bible Meaning: City of forests
Strong's Concordance #H7157

The city called Kirjath-jearim, in the King James Bible, is also referenced by several other names. It is called Baalah in one of its first recorded mentions (Joshua 15:9).

Kirjath-jearim is labeled Kirjathbaal (Strong's #H7154 meaning "city of Baal") in Joshua 15:60 and 18:14. It is also referenced as Baale of Judah (Strong's #H1184 meaning "the masters or Lords of Judah") in 2Samuel 6:2.

Additionally, the Hebrew word from which Kirjathjearim is derived (Strong's #H7157) is translated in the KJV as Kirjath in Joshua 18:28 and Kirjatharim in Ezra 2:25.

Further complicating references to the city is the fact that Kirjathjearim is the KJV Bible spelling for Kiriath-jearim found in other translations. These other translations may also use Kiriath for Kirjath, Kiriatharim for Kirjatharim and Kiriathbaal for Kirjathbaal.

Cities Near Ancient Jerusalem Map

Home to the Ark

Kirjathjearim was located on the border between land given to the tribe of Judah and territory given to Benjamin.

Kirjathjearim (Kiriathjearim) was given to the tribe of Judah as an inheritance in the Promised Land. It is the place where the Ark of the Covenant was moved after many of the men in Bethshemesh were killed by God for looking inside of it. The Ark stayed in the city until King David eventually moved it to Jerusalem.

Important Verses

Joshua 9:17
And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

Joshua 15:9
And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjathjearim . . .

1Samuel 6:21
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord: come ye down, and fetch it up to you.

1Samuel 7:1 - 2
And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

1Chronicles 13:5
So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.

2Samuel 6:2
And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

2Chronicles 1:4
But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

Additional Studies


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Series Notes
References are based on the
King James Bible translation (KJV).