Place Old Testament
Kiriathaim
Also known as Kiriathaim =ESV, NIV, KJV; Kirjathaim =KJV, Kerioth
Kiriathaim, also known as Kerioth, was a Moabite city later allotted to the tribe of Reuben (Numbers 32:37; Joshua 13:19; Jeremiah 48:1, 23). Mentioned in 8 verses across 6 books, first at Genesis 14:5.
Why it matters. A Moabite city, later allotted to Reuben
- Primary passages
- Location
- 31.583, 35.700 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Kiriathaim
Kiriathaim, also referred to as Kerioth or "cities," was a city in Moab, east of the Dead Sea. It is first mentioned in Numbers 32:37 as one of the cities rebuilt by the Reubenites after the conquest of the region. Joshua 13:19 confirms that Kiriathaim was allotted to the tribe of Reuben as part of their inheritance. However, the city later appears to have reverted to Moabite control, as the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel speak of God's judgment against Moab, specifically mentioning Kiriathaim (Jeremiah 48:1, 23; Ezk.25.9). The name "Kiriathaim" means "double city" or "two cities," possibly indicating that it consisted of two parts or was a significant city in the region. The exact location of Kiriathaim is uncertain, but it is believed to be near the modern-day town of Quraiyat in Jordan.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 8 verses across 6 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.