Joshua 9:17

17 So the Israelites went to where they lived and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.

Joshua 9:17 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 9:17

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, ( Joshua 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 ( Joshua 15:60 ) ( Joshua 18:25 Joshua 18:26 ) .

Joshua 9:17 In-Context

15 So Joshua agreed to make peace with the Gibeonites and to let them live. And the leaders of the Israelites swore an oath to keep the agreement.

16 Three days after they had made the agreement, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites lived nearby.

17 So the Israelites went to where they lived and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.

18 But the Israelites did not attack those cities, because they had made a promise to them before the Lord, the God of Israel. All the Israelites grumbled against the leaders.

19 But the leaders answered, "We have given our promise before the Lord, the God of Israel, so we cannot attack them now.