Kiryat Ye’arim – Journey to Holy Land

Abu Ghosh

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 19:33:03 +0000

Abu Ghosh is an Arab Israeli town well-known for its beautiful churches, classical music festivals, delicious hummus restaurants and its friendly relations with the Jewish population.

Located in the Jerusalem Hills, just 10 miles northwest of Jerusalem, the town of Abu Gosh is one of most visited places in Israel today.

According to biblical sources, "After the disaster in Beth Shemesh the ark was moved again (1 Sam. 6:21), this time to Kiriath Jearim, (modern Abu Ghosh, about 10 miles northwest of Jerusalem)."
Eugene H. Merrill, 1 Samuel, The Bible Knowledge Commentary; ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985, 1:438.

The ark had been last mentioned in connection with the family of Abinadab, whose son Eleazar had charge of it at Kiriath-jearim, but since then twenty years had passed, it is described in the book of 1 Sam. 7:1–2.

And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 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.

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. And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

1 Samuel 6:20–7:2 KJV

Kiriath Jearim in the conquests of Joshua

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. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

Joshua 9:17–21 KJV

It is surprising, therefore, to find the name Baale-judah used instead, except that the names are alternatives in Joshua 15:9, where it is called Baalah (cf. Josh. 15:60, where the name is Kiriath-baal). The names compounded with Baal suggest that it may have been a Canaanite high place; Kiriath-jearim means ‘city of forests’, a name which would again be appropriate today in the light of the reafforestation that is transforming the landscape to the west of Jerusalem. It is now known as Kuriet el-‘Enab, or Abu Ghosh, about nine miles (14 km) from Jerusalem, on the Jaffa road.

Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, TOTC 8;Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1988, 220-221.

After this disaster at Beth Shemesh the ark was moved again (1 Sam. 6:21), this time to Kiriath Jearim (modern Abu Ghosh, about 10 miles northwest of Jerusalem). No doubt the ark was taken there rather than to Shiloh, because the latter was destroyed by the Philistines, perhaps after the battle of Aphek (chap. 4; cf. Jer. 26:9). The ark remained in the custody of the family of Abinadab (1 Sam. 7:1) for about 100 years.

Eugene H. Merrill, 1 Samuel, The Bible Knowledge Commentary; ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985, 1:438.

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Kiryat Ye’arim

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 19:32:25 +0000

Kiryat Ye’arim or Kiriath Jearim is the ancient town where the Ark of the Covenant once rested during the ministry of Samuel. The Ark was taken from the town of Shiloh during the battle against the Philistines and then was captured. The Philistines later returned it to Israel as they took to the Temple Mount.

Kiryat Ye’arim is locted on the west side of Abu Gosh the home of Abinadab was where the Ark of the Covenant stayed from the time of Samuel until King David brought it to Jerusalem.

And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim. And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it. And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

1 Chronicles 13:4–8 KJV

Kiriath Jearim during the conquests of Joshua

“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. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.”

Joshua 9:17–21 KJV

Kiriath Jearim in the book of Samuel

And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 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.
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. And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

1 Samuel 6:20–7:2 KJV

Kiriath Jearim in the book of Jeremiah

“And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah: And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt; And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt. And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.”

Jeremiah 26:20–24 KJV

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