‘ 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. Ezra 2:25; Nehemiah 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 (Joshua 15:60) but then to Benjamin (Joshua 18:28). Its alternative name Kiriath-baal (Joshua 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.