Kerioth

KERIOTH (kēr'ĭ-ŏth, Heb. qerîyôth, cities)

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KERIOTH kĕr’ ĭ ŏth (קְרִיֹּ֔ות, towns). The name of two cities mentioned in Scripture. 1. A city of Judah in the extreme S toward Edom. It also is called Hazor (Josh 15:25). The site is to be identified with Khirbet el-Qarratein, fourteen m. S of Hebron and sixteen m. W of the Dead Sea.

2. A city in Moab, mentioned in three passages of the prophets, which city was under God’s judgment (Jer 48:24, 41; Amos 2:2). In the Jeremiah 48:41 passage, RSV has tr. the word as a common noun “city” rather than as a proper noun “Kerioth.” The city is to be identified with the site, Saliya, approximately twenty-five m. E of the Dead Sea, just N of the Arnon River.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

ke’-ri-oth, -oth (qeriyoth):

(1) A city of Moab, named with Beth-meon and Bozrah (Jer 48:24,41). Here was a sanctuary of Chemosh, to which Mesha says (M S, l. 13) he dragged "the altar hearths of Davdoh." It may possibly be represented by the modern Kuraiat, between Diban and `Attarus. Some (e.g. Driver on Am 2:2) think it may be only another name for Ar-Moab. Buhl (GAP, 270) would identify it with Kir of Moab (Kerak). No certainty is yet possible.

(2) A city of Judah (Jos 15:25; the Revised Version (British and American) KERIOTH-HEZRON (which see)), possibly the modern el-Kuryatain, to the Northeast of Tell `Arad.