King James Version (KJV)
That they feared greatly, because Gibeon {was} a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it {was} greater than Ai, and all the men thereof {were} mighty. {royal...: Heb. cities of the kingdom}
Modern English
they were very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
Hebrew
וַיִּֽירְא֣וּ מְאֹ֔ד כִּ֣י עִ֤יר גְּדוֹלָה֙ גִּבְע֔וֹן כְּאַחַ֖ת עָרֵ֣י הַמַּמְלָכָ֑ה וְכִ֨י הִ֤יא גְדוֹלָה֙ מִן־הָעַ֔י וְכָל־אֲנָשֶׁ֖יהָ גִּבֹּרִֽים׃
vayiyrʾv mʾod kiy ʿiyr gdvolah gibʿvon kʾaḥat ʿarey hamamlakah vkiy hiyʾ gdvolah min-haʿay vkal-ʾanasheyha giboriym