Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
City of jaars; i.e., of woods or forests, a Gibeonite town (Josh. 9:17) on the border of Benjamin, to which tribe it was assigned (18:15, 28). The ark was brought to this place (1 Sam. 7:1, 2) from Beth-shemesh and put in charge of Abinadab, a Levite. Here it remained till it was removed by David to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:2, 3, 12; 1 Chr. 15:1-29; comp. Ps. 132). It was also called Baalah (Josh. 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 Ps. 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.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
KIR'JATH-JE'ARIM (The city of woods), one of the four cities of the Gibeonites, Josh 9:17, situated on the border of Judah and Benjamin, Josh 15:9; Josh 18:14, 2 Sam 20:15; but belonging to Judah, Josh 15:60; Jud 18:12; was also called Baalah, Josh 15:9, 1 Kgs 16:10, or Baale of Judah, 2 Sam 6:2, or Kirjath-baal. Hither the ark was brought from Beth-shemesh, 1 Sam 6:21; Zech 7:1, Lev 10:2, and here it remained until it was removed by David. 1 Chr
13:5; 2 Chr 1:4. The prophet Urijah, who was put to death by Jehoiakim, Jer 26:20, was born here, and after the Captivity the people of the city returned to it in numbers. Neh 7:29. PerhapsKuryet el Enab, but the Pal. Memoirs suggest Erma, 4 miles east of 'Ain Shems, as its site.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
city of woods