2 Samuel 17:19

19 His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS 2 Samuel 17:18 NEXT 2 Samuel 17:20

2 Samuel 17:19 in Other Translations

KJV

19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

ESV

19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it.

NLT

19 The man’s wife put a cloth over the top of the well and scattered grain on it to dry in the sun; so no one suspected they were there.

MSG

19 The wife took a rug and covered the well, then spread grain on it so no one would notice anything out of the ordinary.

CSB

19 Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.

2 Samuel 17:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:19

And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's
mouth
This woman, very probably, was the man's wife of the house, as Abarbinel notes; who took a cloth, and spread it over the well's mouth, that it could not be seen or known that there was a well there:

and spread ground corn thereon:
just taken out of the mill, before it was sifted, while in the bran; or corn unhusked, or just threshed out, in order to be dried in the sun, and then parched; or wheat bruised for that purpose: Josephus says ^F17 they were locks of wool she spread:

and the thing was not known;
that the young men were in the well.

FOOTNOTES:

F17 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

2 Samuel 17:19 In-Context

17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city.

18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.

19 His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.

20 When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.”

Cross References 1

1. S Joshua 2:6

2 Samuel 17:19

Share

Settings

2 Samuel 17:19 in Other Translations

2 Samuel 17:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:19 In-Context

Cross References 1