Joshua 9:17

17 So the people of Israel started out to go to the cities of those men. On the third day they came to 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 Joshua made a peace treaty with the men who had come. He agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community took an oath to show that they agreed with the treaty.

16 The people of Israel made a peace treaty with the people of Gibeon. But three days later they heard that the people of Gibeon lived close to them.

17 So the people of Israel started out to go to the cities of those men. On the third day they came to Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.

18 But they didn't attack those cities. That's because the leaders of the community had taken an oath and made a peace treaty with them. They had taken the oath in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. The whole community told the leaders they weren't happy with them.

19 But all of the leaders answered, "We've made a peace treaty with them. We've taken an oath in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. So we can't touch them now.