Ezra 2:25
The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
The three Gibeonite cities formed a confederation that preserved identity through Israel's history. Kirjath-jearim lay on the Judah-Benjamin border, approximately nine miles northwest of Jerusalem. Archaeological excavations at Tell el-Azhar (likely Kirjath-jearim) show Iron Age settlement. Chephirah (modern Kefireh) lies five miles west of Gibeon, while Beeroth is identified with el-Bireh, nine miles north of Jerusalem. These cities' strategic locations explain their original desire for covenant with Israel—surrounded by Israelite territory, they chose alliance over destruction. Their integration into Israel demonstrates how covenant faithfulness, even when initially motivated by fear, could become genuine over generations.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the Gibeonites' full inclusion in the covenant community illustrate God's grace toward Gentiles grafted into Israel?
- What does Israel's honoring of an oath obtained through deception teach about covenant faithfulness and integrity?
- How should churches today balance maintaining doctrinal purity with welcoming those from questionable backgrounds into full membership?
Analysis & Commentary
The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. This verse groups three Gibeonite cities together: Kirjath-jearim (קִרְיַת יְעָרִים, Qiryat Yearim, 'city of forests'), Chephirah (כְּפִירָה, Kephirah, 'young lioness'), and Beeroth (בְּאֵרוֹת, Be'eroth, 'wells'). These cities have remarkable history—they were Gibeonite settlements that deceived Joshua into making covenant with them (Joshua 9:17).
Despite their ancestors' deception, these cities became fully integrated into Israel. Kirjath-jearim housed the ark of the covenant for twenty years after the Philistines returned it (1 Samuel 7:1-2), making it sacred space. That 743 descendants returned demonstrates complete covenant incorporation—Gentile cities absorbed into Israel's identity. This foreshadows the New Testament reality that Gentiles become full covenant members through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:11-19).
Theologically, this verse illustrates God's gracious inclusion. The Gibeonites should have been destroyed according to Deuteronomy 20:16-17, yet Israel's oath, though obtained deceptively, was honored (Joshua 9:18-21). Now their descendants returned as legitimate covenant members. This demonstrates that God's grace can transform even flawed beginnings into genuine covenant relationship.