Kirjath-jearim

Easton, 1897

City of jaars; i.e., of woods or forests, a Gibeonite town (Joshua 9:17) on the border of Benjamin, to which tribe it was assigned (Joshua 18:15, Joshua 18:28). The ark was brought to this place (1 Samuel 7:1, 1 Samuel 7:2) from Beth-shemesh and put in charge of Abinadab, a Levite. Here it remained till it was removed by David to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:2, 2 Samuel 6:3, 2 Samuel 6:12; 1 Chronicles 15:1-29; comp. Psalms 132). It was also called Baalah (Joshua 15:9) and Kirjath-baal (60). It has been usually identified with Kuriet el-Enab (i.e., "city of grapes"), among the hills, about 8 miles north-east of Ain Shems (i.e., Beth-shemesh). The opinion, however, that it is to be identified with Erma, 4 miles east of Ain Shems, on the edge of the valley of Sorek, seems to be better supported. (See KIRJATH.)

The words of Psalms 132:6, "We found it in the fields of the wood," refer to the sojourn of the ark at Kirjath-jearim. "Wood" is here the rendering of the Hebrew word jaar, which is the singular of jearim.