Question II. Which [were] the other cities of the Hevites, joined to Gabaon?

There are numbered, in this very chapter (v. 17), three other cities of the Hevites [allied] to Gabaon — joined not by neighborhood only, but by alliance and concord too: 1. Cephira — χεφιρὰ [chephira] in the 70, χεφειρὰ [chepheira] in Josephus. 2. Beroth — βηρὼτ [bērōt] — passed over by Josephus. 3. Cariathiarim, that is, “city of woods” [Holkstatt]; in the 70, πόλεις (perhaps πόλις) Ιαρίν [poleis / polis Iarin, “city of Jearim”]. Its citizens are called by Josephus καθερημῖται [katherēmitai]. But [that] these were subject to Gabaon, Adrichomius says — and [it is] likely. First: because Gabaon was, as I said (q. 1), after the manner of the royal cities. Secondly: greater [cities] are wont generally to preside over the lesser cities of the same nation. Thirdly: because the text hints [it] (v. 17), when it says “they came into their cities” — namely, of the Gabaonites; and in the Hebrew is added: “their cities are Gabaon, Cephirah, and Beeroth, and Ciriathicharim” — which last is elsewhere called “Cariath baal” and “Baalah” (1 Chron. 13; Jer. 26:20), not far from Bethsames [Beth-shemesh] (1 Kings [Samuel] 6, last verse, and ch. 7, v. 1). Arias Montanus says: “To those cities of the Canaanites names were once given, from various causes, in which the chief parts are held by the situation of the place, [its] nature and character, and the conveniences and inconveniences noted from neighboring and adjoining things: but by this reckoning ‘Gabaon’ [is] a Canaanite word, in Latin ‘culmen’ [summit], in Spanish ‘cumbre.’ ‘Chaphrah’ — or, as [in] that tongue, ‘Hachephirah’ with the singular mark [singular form] — is called ‘a little lioness,’ in Spanish ‘la leoncilla.’ ‘Becroth’ [= ‘wells’] (putei), ‘Pozos’ in Spanish. ‘Cariath iegarim,’ ‘city of woodlands,’ in Italian ‘civitella boschi.’” Fourthly: St. Jerome (bk. On the Hebrew Places): “Iarim,” he says, “[is] a city of the Gabaonites.” Of these cities, therefore, there was one mind of all — [concerning] the warding off from themselves of the imminent war of the Israelites.