Lexical Summary Qiryath Baal: Kiriath Baal Original Word: קַרְיַת בַּעַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Kirjath-baal From qiryah and Ba'al; city of Baal; Kirjath-Baal, a place in Palestine -- Kirjath-baal. see HEBREW qiryah see HEBREW Ba'al NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qiryah and Baal Definition "city of Baal," another name for Kiriath-jearim (7157) NASB Translation Kiriath-baal (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs קִרְיַת בַּעַל see קִרְיַת יְעָרִים. below Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Known in English as Kirjath-baal, the designation translates naturally as “City of Baal.” Scripture immediately adds an explanatory gloss—“that is, Kirjath-jearim”—thereby distancing the covenant people from the Canaanite deity and attaching the site to a forested landmark instead (Joshua 15:60). Geographical Setting Kirjath-baal lay in the western hill country of Judah, on the border shared with Benjamin (Joshua 18:14). Modern identifications place it at Deir el-Azar, on the ridge west of Abu Ghosh and roughly eight miles northwest of Jerusalem. The location commands the descent from the plateau toward the coastal plain, making it a natural waypoint between the Philistine lowlands and the Judean interior. Biblical Occurrences 1. Joshua 15:60 assigns the town to the allotment of Judah in the sub-district of the Valley. Although only these two verses employ the precise form “Kirjath-baal,” the synonymous “Kirjath-jearim” appears in a number of narratives that illuminate the town’s importance: • The Ark of the Covenant remained here for twenty years after its return from Philistia (1 Samuel 6:21–7:2). Historical Background In Joshua’s era the name still bore a reminder of the Canaanite storm-god. By the time of the monarchy that identification had faded, replaced by the wooded landscape (“City of Forests”). The shift underscores Israel’s mandate to supplant idolatry with covenant worship. Its strategic position along a principal route made it a natural sanctuary for the Ark once the tabernacle at Shiloh was destroyed (Jeremiah 7:12, implicit). Theological Significance 1. Sanctified Space: The presence of the Ark in a former “City of Baal” demonstrates Yahweh’s triumph over rival deities and His power to consecrate places once defiled by idolatry. Archaeological Insights Excavations at nearby Abu Ghosh have produced Iron Age fortifications and cultic installations consistent with a border town that housed significant religious activity. Pottery assemblages dating to the eleventh–tenth centuries BCE align with the period when the Ark resided there. While absolute identification remains debated, the material culture supports the biblical portrayal of a well-defended, centrally located settlement. Ministerial Application • Redemption of Place: Congregations today can draw encouragement from how God transforms localities once marked by false worship into centers of truth (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11). Key Related Passages Joshua 15:60; Joshua 18:14; 1 Samuel 6:21–7:2; 2 Samuel 6:1-15; 1 Chronicles 13:5-6; Ezra 2:25; Nehemiah 7:29 Forms and Transliterations בַּ֗עַל בַּ֙עַל֙ בעל ba‘al ba·‘al BaalLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:60 HEB: קִרְיַת־ בַּ֗עַל הִ֛יא קִרְיַ֥ת NAS: Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), KJV: Kirjathbaal, which [is] Kirjathjearim, INT: Kiriath-baal he which Kirjathjearim Joshua 18:14 2 Occurrences |
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