Joshua 9:17

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 Joshua 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 Jeremiah 26:20 was a native of the place.