The children of Israel traveled, and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
"The ’oath’ was made in the name of the Lord. Consequently fidelity was owed, not to the Gibeonites, but to the Lord. The form of the oath called on the Lord to punish the Israelites if they failed to keep their agreement (cf. Joshua 9:18-20). This explains why Israel felt bound to the treaty even though it had been made under false pretenses (cf. Genesis 27:35; Psalms 15:4)." [Note: Madvig, p. 299.] 