Original Word: שָׁוֵה קֵרְיָתַיִם
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Shaveh Qiryathayim
Pronunciation: shah-veh keer-yah-thah-yeem
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-vay' kir-yaw-thah'-yim)
KJV: Shaveh Kiriathaim
NASB: Shaveh-kiriathaim
Word Origin: [from the same as H7740 (שָׁוֵה - Shaveh) and the dual of H7151 (קִריָה - city)]

1. plain of a double city
2. Shaveh-Kirjathajim, a place East of the Jordan

Shaveh Kiriathaim

From the same as Shaveh and the dual of qiryah; plain of a double city; Shaveh-Kirjathajim, a place East of the Jordan -- Shaveh Kiriathaim.

see HEBREW Shaveh

see HEBREW qiryah

Word Origin
from shavah and qiryah
Definition
a plain E. of the Jordan
NASB Translation
Shaveh-kiriathaim (1).

I. שָׁוֵה noun [masculine] level plain; — in שָׁוֵה קִרְיָתַיִם Genesis 14:5 (see ׳ק p. 900:a; ׳ק appositive according to Ol^{§ 277 c} Lag^{BN 43}; ? read שְׁוֵּה); Σαυη.

Geographical Setting

Shaveh Kiriathaim designates a level region adjacent to Kiriathaim, the “double-city” identified with modern el-Qaryatayn in the plains east of the Dead Sea, within territory that later became part of Moab. The wider area is bounded on the north by the plateau of Heshbon and on the south by the Wadi Zerqa-Maʿin, forming a fertile steppe well suited to grazing and agriculture. Today the site lies along the King’s Highway, one of the oldest continuous trade routes in the Levant, underscoring the strategic importance of the location in antiquity.

Historical Context

Although the compound name itself is not preserved as a stand-alone entry in the Old Testament text, its constituent parts are firmly anchored in the patriarchal narrative of Genesis 14, where the coalition led by Chedorlaomer confronts the Emim “in Shaveh Kiriathaim.” This battle occurs during the period of the early Amorite migration and establishes the first biblical mention of territorial conflict east of the Jordan. The encounter predates Israel’s occupation by several centuries, revealing the land’s turbulent political landscape long before the Exodus. Later prophetic literature positions Kiriathaim inside Moabite frontiers (Jeremiah 48:1; Ezekiel 25:9), implying continuous habitation and persistent identity for the surrounding plain.

Biblical-Theological Significance

1. Patriarchal Faith and God’s Sovereignty: The military events in Genesis 14 shape the backdrop for Abram’s rescue of Lot and his meeting with Melchizedek. By embedding Shaveh Kiriathaim in that narrative, Scripture underlines God’s providential guidance over international affairs, preparing the stage for covenant promises in an arena already marked by geopolitical upheaval.
2. Judgment upon Pride: Prophecies against Moab portray Kiriathaim as emblematic of human arrogance opposing God’s purposes. “Moab has become proud… therefore she will wail for Moab, everyone will wail” (Jeremiah 48:29,31). The plain surrounding the city, once a theatre of Gentile power in Genesis, becomes a site of divine retribution, demonstrating the consistency of God’s moral governance through successive eras.
3. Hope for Restoration: While Ezekiel 25:9 announces desolation for Kiriathaim, the broader prophetic canvas foresees eschatological renewal of the lands east of the Jordan (for example Isaiah 11:14). The mention of the region in both judgment and future blessing highlights the tension between divine justice and mercy that permeates redemptive history.

Archaeology and Later History

Surveys at Qaryat el-Medbaʿa and its environs have unearthed Iron Age pottery, early Greek inscriptions, and Roman-Byzantine mosaics, attesting to continuous occupation. A Nabataean trade station discovered nearby corroborates the area’s role as a commercial crossroads. While direct inscriptional evidence for the biblical name remains elusive, the cultural layers align well with the multi-period references in Scripture, reinforcing the reliability of the biblical geographic framework.

Lessons for Ministry and Discipleship

• God’s redemptive plan unfolds amid real places and historical events; studying sites like Shaveh Kiriathaim strengthens confidence in the factual basis of biblical revelation.
• The rise and fall of peoples on this plain warn against national pride and personal self-exaltation (Proverbs 16:18).
• Abram’s steadfast faith in the midst of regional conflict encourages believers to trust God’s promises regardless of political instability.

Related Entries

Chedorlaomer; Kiriathaim; Moab; Melchizedek; Plains of Moab

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