Question V. Why the King of Jerusalem summoned to himself four other Kings

The cause is given in the text [as] one general [cause] (verse 2): “because he feared greatly.” But of [his] fear [there are] three causes (verse 1). The first: from the extreme severity — or, as he himself thought, cruelty — of the Israelites toward the captured cities. The second: from the voluntary peace-making of the Gabaonites with them, which the Hebrews expressed by a hiphil verb, [and] the Latin [translator] by “going over [as deserters],” following the Seventy, who translated [it] αὐτομόλησιν [“a going-over”]. The third: from the covenant, by which the Gabaonites were now in the midst of the Israelites, joined and allied with them — whether they all still remained in their own cities, or some of them were now in the camp of the Israelites. Yet Arias seems to understand what is said in the Hebrew, “they were in the midst of them,” [as meaning] “in the midst of the Chananaeans themselves.” For thus [the Chananaeans were] greatly harmed by the Gabaonites, since they would necessarily supply the enemy with everything easily, would withdraw [things] from them [the Chananaeans], and would inflict damages [upon them]. These two latter causes are confirmed by the greatness of Gabaon, concerning which [see] above, chapter 9, question 1.