SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:16
Pasados tres días después que hicieron con ellos el concierto, oyeron como eran sus vecinos, y que habitaban en medio de ellos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:16
Verse 16. At the end of three days] Gibeon is reputed to be only about eight leagues distant from Gilgal, and on this account the fraud might be easily discovered in the time mentioned above.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. And it came to pass at the end of three days, after they had made a league with them , etc.] The league seems to have been made the same day they came; the Gibeonites were no doubt in haste to have it concluded, lest they should be discovered; and Joshua, and the princes of Israel, took no pains, and gave themselves no great trouble to inquire about them, but made peace with them at once; and it was but three days after, or within three days of its being made, that they heard that they [were] their neighbours, and [that] they dwelt among them ; that is, in their neighbourhood, as the Arabic version; and so Noldius renders the words, “and that they dwelt near them”; for the Gibeonites did not dwell among the Israelites, or in the midst of them, but near the place where they were; and this they understood either by some deserters that came to the camp of Israel, or by some of the Israelites who were sent to reconnoitre several parts of the country, especially such as lay nearest, or for the sake of getting provisions for their camp.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-21 - The Israelites, having examined the provisions of the Gibeonites hastily concluded that they confirmed their account. We make more hast than good speed, when we stay not to take God with us, and do no consult him by the word and prayer. The fraud was soon found out. lying tongue is but for a moment. Had the oath been in itself unlawful it would not have been binding; for no obligation can render it ou duty to commit a sin. But it was not unlawful to spare the Canaanite who submitted, and left idolatry, desiring only that their lives migh be spared. A citizen of Zion swears to his own hurt, and changes not Ps 15:4. Joshua and the princes, when they found that they had bee deceived, did not apply to Eleazar the high priest to be freed from their engagement, much less did they pretend that no faith is to be kept with those to whom they had sworn. Let this convince us how we ought to keep our promises, and make good our bargains; and what conscience we ought to make of our words.
Original Hebrew
ויהי 1961 מקצה 7097 שׁלשׁת 7969 ימים 3117 אחרי 310 אשׁר 834 כרתו 3772 להם ברית 1285 וישׁמעו 8085 כי 3588 קרבים 7138 הם 1992 אליו 413 ובקרבו 7130 הם 1992 ישׁבים׃ 3427
