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Kerioth

biblical_place theological_term standard

Kerioth is a biblical place-name, used for at least one town in the Old Testament and possibly more than one location.

At a Glance

A biblical place-name for at least one town, probably in Moab; Joshua 15:25 may refer to a different Kerioth in Judah.

Key Points

Description

Kerioth is a biblical place-name used for at least one town and possibly for more than one location. In the Old Testament it appears in oracles against Moab, where it is named among the cities under divine judgment, and it may also appear in a Judahite list in Joshua 15:25. Because the name can denote different places and the historical identification of each site is uncertain, the safest treatment is to classify Kerioth as a geographical entry rather than a theological term. A careful article should distinguish the Moabite references from the possible Judahite reference and avoid overstating certainty where the biblical data do not allow it.

Biblical Context

In the prophetic books, Kerioth is associated with Moab and appears in a judgment setting, emphasizing that God's word addresses real nations and real cities. Joshua 15:25 may preserve another place with the same name in Judah's territory list. The entry is therefore best understood as a historical and geographical identifier within the biblical narrative and prophecy.

Historical Context

Ancient place-names were often preserved in territorial catalogs, military accounts, and prophetic judgments. Kerioth likely functioned as the name of a town or settlement known to the original audience, though its exact archaeological location is uncertain and may differ between references.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Second Temple and later Jewish readers would have recognized such names as part of Israel's scriptural geography. The main interpretive question is not doctrine but identification: whether the Moabite references and the Joshua reference belong to the same site or to distinct places with similar names.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

The Hebrew form is usually represented as Kerioth, a place-name form that may be related to a word meaning 'cities' or 'towns.' The exact form and identification depend on context and textual tradition.

Theological Significance

Kerioth has no standalone doctrinal meaning, but it contributes to the Bible's historical concreteness and to the prophetic theme of judgment on real nations and places.

Philosophical Explanation

A place-name can carry theological weight indirectly when Scripture uses it in covenant history, judgment, or inheritance. In itself, however, Kerioth is a geographical label rather than a doctrinal category.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not assume every mention of Kerioth refers to the same site. Joshua 15:25 and the Moab passages may refer to different locations, and the biblical data do not settle the question with certainty. The term should not be treated as a theological concept.

Major Views

Most readers take the prophetic references to Kerioth as a Moabite city. Joshua 15:25 is often treated as a separate Judahite place-name, though some interpret it as a related form such as Kerioth-hezron.

Doctrinal Boundaries

This entry should remain within biblical geography and historical interpretation. It should not be used as a proof-text for doctrine beyond the general reliability and concreteness of Scripture.

Practical Significance

Kerioth reminds readers that Scripture speaks in real historical geography, not mythic abstraction. It also shows how prophetic judgment addressed actual cities and nations known to the biblical world.

Related Entries

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Data

Machine-readable JSON for Kerioth

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