Baale-judah
Baale-judah is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Deir el Azar. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Baale-judah appears in a single but pivotal moment in Israel's history, recorded in 2 Samuel 6:2. It was from this city that King David set out to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, accompanied by thirty thousand chosen men of Israel. The occasion was one of immense national significance, as the ark represented the very presence of God among his people. The name Baale-judah is widely recognized as an alternative designation for Kiriath-jearim, the city where the ark had rested for twenty years following its return from Philistine captivity (1 Samuel 7:1-2). The dual naming reflects the city's complex history, the prefix Baal suggests earlier Canaanite associations, while the suffix Judah marks its incorporation into the Israelite tribal system. The failed first attempt to transport the ark, resulting in the death of Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:6-7), transformed Baale-judah from a resting place into a site of both divine judgment and eventual joy, as the ark finally completed its journey to the City of David.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Baale-judah is most widely identified with Kiriath-jearim, often equated with the modern site of Deir el Azar (Abu Ghosh area), situated on a prominent hilltop west of Jerusalem. Significant archaeological work, including surveys by Israel Finkelstein and Thomas Römer's team in recent years, has uncovered evidence of substantial Iron Age occupation at Tel Qiryat Ye'arim. Excavations beginning around 2017 revealed monumental Iron Age structures and storage facilities consistent with an important administrative center. The hilltop location, strategic visibility, and material culture support the identification. A large church was later constructed on the site in Byzantine times, reflecting the location's continued sacred significance to Christian communities.
Verse Appearances (1)
2Sam
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]