Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 9:17

And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities [were] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.

17. on the third day ] A three days’ journey it might well be “according to the slow pace of eastern armies and caravans.” Stanley’s S. & P. p. 209.

Chephirah ] “a village,” afterwards allotted to Benjamin (Jos 18:26). It was an inhabited city in the times of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezr 2:25; Neh 7:29). On the western declivity of the mountain range, 11 miles from Jerusalem, and 4 from Kirjath-jearim, is a ruined village called Kefr, which doubtless marks the site of the old city of Chephirah. After remaining unknown, or at least unnoticed, for more than 2000 years, its site was discovered by Dr Robinson in 1852. See Robinson, Bible Res. III. 146.

Beeroth ] Mentioned afterwards along with other Benjamite cities among the places whose inhabitants returned with Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:25; Neh 7:29). It is commonly identified with the large village of El-Birch between Jerusalem and Bethel.

Kirjath-jearim i.e. “ the city of woods,” or “ groves,” written Kirjath-arim in Ezr 2:25, and Kiriathiarius in 1Es 5:19 . It derived its name from its olive, fig, and other plantations, as its modern representative, Kuriet-el-Enab, “the city of grapes,” does from its vineyards. It was afterwards allotted to Judah, and here the Ark remained from the time of its return from the Philistines to the reign of David (1Sa 7:2; 2Sa 6:2 ; 1Ch 13:5-6; Psa 132:6), where David is said to have found the Ark in “the fields of the wood.” Before the Israelitish conquest it was known as Baalah and Kirjath-baal (Jos 15:9; Jos 15:60), names which point to its early sanctity as one of the special seats of the worship of Baal.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Chephirah (Kefir) is situated eight or nine miles west of Gibeon, and was an inhabited city in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah Ezr 2:25; Neh 7:29.

Beeroth (Birch), about eight miles north of Jerusalem. Kirjath-jearim, i. e. city of woods, is identified by Robinson with the modern Kuriet el Enab, nine miles from Jerusalem on the road to Jaffa (and by Conder with Soba). The town was numbered among those belonging to Judah, and was in the northern boundary of that tribe. Beyond this city the six hundred Danites encamped on their famous expedition to Laish Jdg 18:12. Kirjath-jearim was also, and probably before the Israelite conquests exclusively, called Baalah and Kirjath-baal Jos 15:9, Jos 15:60, names which seem to point to its early sanctity as a special seat of Baal-worship. To this place also the ark was brought from Beth-shemesh after it was sent back by the Philistines, and here it remained for twenty years 1Sa 6:20-21; 1Sa 7:2. It was fetched thence by David and deposited in the house of Obed-edom 2Sa 6:2. Hence, the allusion, Psa 132:6, where David is said to have found the ark in the fields of the wood.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. The children of Israel – came unto their cities] Probably when the fraud was discovered, Joshua sent out a detachment to examine their country, and to see what use could be made of it in the prosecution of their war with the Canaanites. Some of the cities mentioned here were afterwards in great repute among the Israelites: and God chose to make one of them, Kirjath-jearim, the residence of the ark of the covenant for twenty years, in the reigns of Saul and David. There is no evidence that the preservation of the Gibeonites was displeasing to Jehovah.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Cities which were subject to Gibeon, which was the royal city, Jos 10:2.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

17. Chephirah (Jos 18:26;Ezr 2:25; Neh 7:29).

Beeroth (2Sa4:2), now El Berich, about twenty minutes’ distance fromEl Jib (Gibeon).

Kirjath-jearim“thecity of forests,” now Kuryet-el-Enab [ROBINSON].

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And the children of Israel journeyed,…. Not the whole camp, for that still remained at Gilgal, and continued there until the Gibeonites in distress sent to them for assistance in virtue of the league, as appears from the following chapter; but a party of them, who were sent along with some of the princes, to know the truth whether the Gibeonites were their neighbours or not, as had been reported to them:

and came unto their cities on the third day; not on the third day from their setting out on their journey, for it was but one night’s march from Gilgal to them, Jos 10:9; but on the third day from the making of the league; it is very probable it was early on the third day they heard of their being their neighbours, upon which a party was sent out at once to know the truth of it, who arrived thither the same day:

now their cities [were] Gibeon and Chephirah, and Beeroth and Kirjathjearim; Gibeon was the metropolis, and the other three were subject to it; the three first fell to the lot of Benjamin, and the last to the tribe of Judah; we shall meet with them again in the lots of the several tribes, in Jos 15:60.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(17) Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.The first three of these were assigned to Benjamin (Jos. 18:25-26), the last to Judah (15:60), in the division of the land. The fact that the larger portion of the territory of the Gibeonites was in the tribe of Benjamin explains how Saul was tempted to confiscate their possessions for the purpose of supplying his followers with fields and vineyards (1Sa. 22:7). He appears to have carried out his purpose in the case of Beeroth (2Sa. 4:2-3), but not as regards all the Gibeonite towns. Gibeon became a city of the priests (Jos. 21:17), and also a principal place of worship and the seat of the tabernacle (as Kirjath-jearim was of the ark) in later times. (See 1Sa. 6:21; 1Sa. 7:1, &c.; 1 Chron. 20:29; and 2Ch. 1:3-6.) The fact that the Gibeonites were dedicated to the service of the sanctuary may partly account for this. In Gibeon, Solomon asked and received the wisdom which Joshua and Israel at this time did not ask.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

17. Gibeon See Jos 9:3, note. There were three other cities on federal relations with Gibeon.

Chephira, literally, the village, is in the mountains on the western confines of Benjamin, east of Nicopolis, and about two miles east of Yalo, the ancient Aijalon. Dr. Robinson discovered it under the scarcely altered name of Kefir.

Beeroth, a Hebrew word for wells, was known to Eusebius, and his description of its position agrees perfectly with that of the modern el-Bireh, ten miles north of Jerusalem, on the great road to Shechem. It is a favourite resting-place for caravans at the end of the first day’s journey from Jerusalem, and contains a population of about seven hundred.

Kirjath-jearim City of forests, called also, in Jos 18:14, City of Baal, the great Canaanite deity. It was celebrated as the abode of the ark for twenty years, (1Sa 7:2,) and is still a resort of pilgrims from all Judea. Dr. Robinson identifies it with the modern Kuriet-el-Enab, city of grapes, on the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem, and about ten miles northwest of the latter city. In Jos 18:28, it is called merely Kirjath.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘ And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah, and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.’

Once they heard the news and realised how they had been cheated the Israelites moved in force to the area where they were to be found. It was a four city confederacy. Chephirah was a Hivite fortress on a spur eight kilometres (five miles) west of Gibeon, now modern Khirbet Kefireh, dominating the Wadi Qatneh that leads down to Aijalon. Ezr 2:25; Neh 7:29 link it with Kiriath-jearim. It became a Benjamite city. Kiriath-jearim (city of the forests) was on the Judah-Benjamite border. It first belonged to Judah (Jos 15:60) but then to Benjamin (Jos 18:28). Its alternative name Kiriath-baal (Jos 15:60) suggests that it was an old Canaanite high place. It is possibly to be identified with modern Kuriet el-‘Enab (Abu Ghosh). Beeroth means ‘wells’. This may be el-Bireh where there are several wells and ruins. It is eight kilometres (five miles) north east of Gibeon. And then, of course, there was great Gibeon itself.

“On the third day.” Basically after a day’s travel. They made the covenant, learned of the deceit, set off on the next day and arrived the following morning.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Ver. 17. And the children of Israel journeyed, &c. Three days after Joshua had learned the cheat of the Gibeonites, he sent out a detachment from his army to reconnoitre their country. Gibeon was the capital city; Chephirah and Beeroth fell with it to the tribe of Benjamin. The latter, in the time of Eusebius and St. Jerome, was but a village, in the way from Jerusalem to Sichem, seven miles from Jerusalem.Maundrell, who confounds Beeroth with Beer, mentioned Jdg 9:21 says, that the situation is very pleasant, upon a little eminence, which looks towards the south. At the top of this ascent, there is a fountain abounding with excellent water, which gives its name to Beer. On the upper side are the remains of an old church, built by the empress Helena, in memory of the Blessed Virgin. See Journey to Aleppo, p. 64. With respect to Kirjath-jearim, which fell to the tribe of Judah, it was situate between the confines of this tribe and that of Benjamin, nine miles from Jerusalem, and between that capital and Lydda. The ark of the covenant remained at Kirjath-jearim twenty years. The prophet Urijah, mentioned Jer 26:20 was a native of the place.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

The murmuring of the congregation, on account of the mercy shown Gibeon, serves to remind us, of the displeasure of the elder brother in the parable, because of the mercy shown the younger. The case is similar. Our Lord thereby evidently meant to show, how, in the first instance, our elder brother the Jew is hurt, at his younger brother the Gentile being made a fellow-heir, and partaker of the same promise in Jesus. But dearest Jesus! how doth it tend to endear thee to the love of all thy people! And how endeared no less is the Father’s grace and mercy thereby to every believer ‘ s heart. Luk 15:25 to the end; Eph 3:6 ; Isa 49:6 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Jos 9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities [were] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

Ver. 17. And Kirjathjearim. ] Or, The city of woods; famous afterwards for the birth of the prophet Uriah there, who prophesied against Jerusalem, and suffered for speaking truth. Jer 26:20-22 Veritas odium parit.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)