¹⁷ So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.^(A)

²¹ They sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath-jearim,^(A) saying, ‘The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and get it.’^[a]

Victory at Mizpah

² Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the Lord.