Joshua 9:17

The third day. That is, the third day after they set out for Gibeon. They were thus on the journey for two days. This is evidence that they did not set out from the new Gilgal, as some think, because it would not have taken more than a few hours at most from there to Gibeon (see on verse 6). Three days after the treaty had been made and the messengers had departed, the Israelites discovered that the Gibeonite cities were close by and that they had been deceived. Perhaps some deserter told them, or Israelite scouts may have found someone who told them the truth. Under Joshua’s direction the army of Israel immediately set out to investigate. Possibly Joshua had in mind to revise the treaty because of the deception practiced upon him by the Gibeonites, and to see what use could be made of their cities.

Their cities. Gibeon, meaning “a hill,” Chephirah, “a young lioness,” and Beeroth, “wells,” later fell to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:25, 26), while Kirjath-jearim, “city of the tribe of Judah” (Joshua 15:60). It was later at Kirjath-jearim that the ark rested before David moved it to Jerusalem (1 Samuel 6:21; 7:1, 2; 2 Samuel 6:2). Gibeon is known today as ej-Jib, Chephirah as Tell Kefireh, and Kirjath-jearim as Tell el-Azhar.