Question X. When and how did the Israelites find out the fraud of the Gabaonites? [heading printed "IX"]

The text answers (v. 16): “three days after the covenant was entered, they heard that they dwelt near, and would be among them.” And (v. 17): “The children of Israel moved the camp, and came into their cities on the third day.” But the Israelites heard [that] the Gabaonites were neighbors — either from Rahab’s household, as Abulensis holds, or from the foragers and provisioners, who ran out here and there in troops into the places near the enemy, as Masius holds and Josephus hints. For these could reach as far as these cities of the Gabaonites. But Arias [Montanus] thinks [that] the Gabaonite Ambassadors, [when] returned, brought so great a joy to their people, on account of the ratified covenant, that the fame spread abroad far and wide at once, and so came to the ears of the Israelites. However that be, on the third day after the ratification of the covenant, this error was discovered by certain hearing [report]; but on the sixth day after the same ratification — which [was] the third after the hearing — [it was discovered] by certain sight and experience, when Joshua had moved the camp forward to these Gabaonite places.