Kiriath-jearim
(Joshua 9:17)
Also called Kiriath-baal. (Joshua 15:60)
The translation of the Hebrew Kiriath-jearim is “town of forests.”
Important and mentioned many times in the Bible particularly in descriptions of the delineating of the borders and allotments of the Tribes of Israel:
“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 Kiriath-jearim.
And the border extended 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 went around to Baalah, which is Kiriath-jearim:” (Joshua 15:9)
And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter. And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah.” (Joshua 18: 14-15)
After the Philistines returned the ark of the covenant, it was kept at Kiriath-jearim for a time:
“And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.” (1Samuel 6:1)
And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: a nd all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.” (1 Samuel 7:2)
David tried without succeeding to move the ark from here:
“Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 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. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me? So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.” (2 Samuel 6:1-8)
The modern Kiriath Jearim located in the vicinity of the Biblical site is a youth village and educational institute.
