Jaar
1:
JAAR (PLACE) [Heb ya˓ar (יַעַר)]. A poetic reference to KIRIATH-JEARIM [Eng “city of forests”], or its environs, in Psalms 132:6. The noun is the Hebrew word for “forest,” and the precise phrase is biśdê-ya˓ar, literally, “in fields of [other ancient texts read ‘a field of,’ see BHS and BDB: 961] a forest” (cf. LXX); but parallelism with Ephrathah and consistent allusion throughout the Psalm to the resting place of the ark of the covenant make it likely that ya˓ar is better translated as a nomen proprium loci, hence, “the fields of Jaar.” The reference may be to Kiriath-jearim (on the border between Benjamin and Judah) itself, or to the open areas around it. This literary-critical decision squares well with the history of traditions. The ark was returned, via Beth-shemesh, to Kiriath-jearim, where it remained for some 20 years, whence David brought it with pomp and circumstance to Jerusalem (1 Sam 6:20–7:2; 2 Sam 6:1–15; 1 Chr 13:5–8). Psalm 132 is a preexilic festival liturgy uniting the traditions of the ark, the clan of David, and the election of Zion (cf. 2 Samuel 7 and Ps 78:68–71). The song celebrates the movement of the ark from the fields of Jaar, on the N edge of David’s Ephrathite clan territory, to Zion, which David chose as the seat of his dynasty. It is not surprising, therefore, that 2 Chr 6:41–42 quotes Ps 132:8–10 to conclude Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple where the ark eventually came to rest. This allows also a better understanding of Micah’s reversal of the traditions: the God who came from Jaar of Ephrathah to settle in Zion will abandon the capital for older roots in Bethlehem of Ephrathah (4:14–5:1—Eng 5:1–2).
Bibliography
Anderson, A. A. 1981. Book of Psalms. Vol. 2. Grand Rapids.
Lamontte M. Luker
Freedman, D. N. (1996, c1992). The Anchor Bible Dictionary (3:590). New York: Doubleday.
2:
JAAR Most common word in Hebrew for “forest.” It refers to forests generally (Is 10:18) and to specific forests, such as the “forest of Ephraim” (2 Sm 18:6) and the “forest of Hereth” (1 Sm 22:5), both associated with King David. It also occurs as the name of one of Solomon’s buildings, “the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon” (1 Kgs 7:2), apparently because of its extensive use of cedar. Only one occurrence of “Jaar” seems to be a proper name. Psalm 132:6 alludes to the transfer of the ark from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem. Here it is called the field of Jaar (or “the wood,” kjv), perhaps a poetic abbreviation.
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (659). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
3:
JA´AR (jāʹar). According to the NIV margin of Ps. 132:6, a short form of Kirjath-Jearim (which see).
Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M. F. (1988). The new Unger's Bible dictionary. Revision of: Unger's Bible dictionary. 3rd ed. c1966. (Rev. and updated ed.). Chicago: Moody Press.
4:
JAAR (Heb. ya‘ar, ‘forest’) in the OT usually means ‘forest’, but once only it may be a proper name (Ps. 132:6) as a poetical abbreviation for *Kiriath-jearim (city of forests). The allusion in this psalm is to the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem from Kiriath-jearim, where it had lain for 20 years or more after it was recovered from the Philistines (1 Sa. 7:1–2; 1 Ch. 13:5). Some take the word here, as elsewhere, to mean forest and refer ‘it’ to the oath in the preceding verses. m.a.m.
Wood, D. R. W., Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996, c1982, c1962). New Bible Dictionary. Includes index. (electronic ed. of 3rd ed.) (535). Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.
5:
Jaar (Heb. ya˓ar)
The place where the ark of the covenant is said to have been discovered (Ps. 132:6). The name may be a form of Kiriath-jearim, where the ark had been lodged for 27 years (1 Sam. 7:1–2; 2 Chr. 1:4).
Freedman, D. N., Myers, A. C., & Beck, A. B. (2000). Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (663). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans.
