KIRIATH-JEARIM
“city of forests.”
Originally a Gibeonite city (Josh. 9:17). Located on the borders of Judah and Benjamin (Josh. 15:9; 18:14, 15), it came to belong to Judah (Josh. 15:48-60; Judg. 18:12).
The ark, restored to the Israelites by the Philistines, was deposited at Kiriath-jearim, where it remained for twenty years, until the second battle of Ebenezer, and perhaps longer (1 Sam. 6:19-7:2).
A portion of the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim returned from the Babylonian captivity (Neh. 7:29).
This same city is also called Kiriath (Josh. 18:28), Kiriath-baal (Josh. 15:60; 18:14).
Eusebius places it about 15 km from Jerusalem, on the road to Lydda.