Chephirah

Chephirah (meaning a little lioness or village) was one of the four cities of the Gibeonite Hivites who deceived Joshua into making a peace treaty with them by presenting themselves as distant travelers (Josh. 9). The other three cities were Gibeon, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim. The treaty bound Israel to protect them, which Saul later violated. Chephirah was assigned to the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 18:26) and was reoccupied after the Babylonian exile by returned exiles (Ezra 2:25; Neh. 7:29). It has been identified with Khirbet Kefireh, west of Jerusalem.