NOTE: This is the seventh in a series of posts about locations that are associated with the Ark of the Covenant. Previously, we have discussed: the Plains of Moab, the Jordan River, Jericho, Mount Ebal and Gerizim, Shiloh, the Land of the Philistines and the Sorek Valley.
The citizens of Beth-Shemesh received the Ark from the Philistines as it made its way through the Sorek Valley. However, they made a mistake and looked into the Ark, for which they were punished by God.
Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter. - 1 Samuel 6:19
After this event, they sent to the people of Kiriath-Jearim to take the Ark.
And the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?” So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up with you.” Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord. - 1 Samuel 6:20-7:1
The Ark remained in the house of Abinadab for many years before David eventually took the Ark to Jerusalem.
The ancient city of Kiriath-Jearim is located about 15 kilometers (9 miles) west of the city of Jerusalem. The modern Arab village of Abu Ghosh sits on the location and can be seen just north of the main highway that runs between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It is first mentioned in Scripture in Joshua 9:17 as one of the cities of the Hivites. It is also mentioned in Judges 18:12 as one of the encampments of the Danites as they made their way from their allotted territory to the northern location that they moved to.
Years later, as the Ark was leaving Kiriath-Jearim, we have the story of Uzzah being punished by death for touching the Ark.