2 Samuel 17:20

20 When the servants of Absalom came to the woman [at] the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" And she said to them, "They crossed over the brook of water." So they searched but could not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 17:20 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:20

And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house,
&c.] Who were sent after then, had intelligence which way they took, and into what house they turned:

they said, where [are] Ahimaaz and Jonathan?
calling them by their names, being persons well known, and as to them, so to the woman of the house, as they supposed:

and the woman said unto them, they be gone over the brook of water;
the river Jordan; so the Targum,

``they have already passed over Jordan;''

this was a lie she told them, which is not to be justified; the Vulgate Latin version,

``they passed over hastily, having drank a little water;''

and so Josephus ^F18 in some copies:

and when they had sought and could not find [them];
not only searched that house, but very probably others in Bahurim:

they returned to Jerusalem;
to give an account what success they had.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7. Hudson. not. in ib.

2 Samuel 17:20 In-Context

18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom, so both of them went quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim. Now he had a well in his courtyard, so they went down there.

19 Then the woman took and spread a covering over the opening of the well; then she spread out dried grain on it, so nothing was discovered.

20 When the servants of Absalom came to the woman [at] the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" And she said to them, "They crossed over the brook of water." So they searched but could not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they left, they came up from the well and went and told King David. They said to David, "Set out and cross over the water quickly, for thus Ahithophel has advised against you."

22 So David and all the people who [were] with him set out, and they crossed over the Jordan until morning light until {there was no one} missing who had not crossed over the Jordan.