The Hebrew name Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym, represented by H7157, means "city of forests" or "city of towns." It appears 20 times across 19 unique verses in the Bible. This location in Palestine is significant not only as a geographical marker but also for its crucial role in the history of Israel, particularly concerning the Ark of the Covenant. It is also referred to as Baalah H1173 and Kirjath-baal H7154 in scripture (Joshua 15:9, Joshua 18:14).
In the biblical narrative, Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym is central to several key events. It became the resting place for the Ark of the LORD H727 for twenty H6242 years after the Philistines H6430 returned it (1 Samuel 6:21, 1 Samuel 7:2). The men H582 of the city brought the ark into the house H1004 of Abinadab H41 and sanctified his son H1121 Eleazar H499 to guard it 1 Samuel 7:1. Years later, David H1732 gathered all Israel H3478 to bring the ark up from there to Jerusalem H3389 1 Chronicles 13:5-6. Geographically, it served as a boundary city H5892 for the tribes of Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 (Joshua 15:9, Joshua 18:14, Joshua 18:28). The city was also the hometown of the prophet Urijah H223 Jeremiah 26:20 and the ancestral home for families like the Ithrites H3505 and Puhites H6336 1 Chronicles 2:53.
Several related place names and terms help define the context of Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym:
- H1173 Baʻălâh (Baalah): This is an alternative name used for Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym, particularly when David went to retrieve the ark 1 Chronicles 13:6 and in descriptions of Judah's border Joshua 15:9.
- H7154 Qiryath Baʻal (city of Baal): This name is also explicitly equated with Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym and is listed as a city of the children of Judah H3063 in the tribal allotments (Joshua 15:60, Joshua 18:14).
- H1391 Gibʻôwn (Gibeon): This city is listed alongside Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym as one of the cities of the Gibeonites with whom Israel H3478 made a covenant Joshua 9:17.
- H1366 gᵉbûwl (border): This word is frequently used in connection with Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym, highlighting its function as a landmark defining the inheritance H5159 of the tribes (Joshua 15:9, Joshua 18:14, Joshua 18:15).
The significance of H7157 is established through its connection to God's presence and people.
- Sanctuary for the Ark: For two decades, Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym was entrusted with the Ark of the LORD H727, where God's name H8034 was called H7121 upon and where He dwelleth H3427 between the cherubims H3742 1 Chronicles 13:6. The men of the city sanctified H6942 a keeper for the ark, showing reverence for its holiness 1 Samuel 7:1.
- A Place of Inheritance: Its location on the border H1366 between Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 makes it a key site in the fulfillment of God's apportionment of the promised land to the tribes of Israel H3478 (Joshua 18:14, Joshua 18:28).
- Lineage and Prophecy: The city is identified as the home of the prophet Urijah H223, who prophesied H5012 in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 Jeremiah 26:20. It is also tied to the lineage of Caleb H3612 through Shobal H7732, the "father of Kirjathjearim" 1 Chronicles 2:50.
In summary, H7157 Qiryath Yᵉʻârîym is far more than a simple geographical location. It is a place of historical and theological weight, remembered as the sacred guardian of the Ark of the Covenant for a generation. Its role as a boundary city helps define the heritage of God's people, and its association with prophets and patriarchal lineage cements its place in the unfolding narrative of Israel's relationship with God H430.
TRV