2 Samuel 17:17

17 And Jonathan and Ahimaaz stood beside the well of Rogel (And Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at Enrogel); (and) an handmaid went, and told to them, and (then) they went forth to tell the message to king David; for they might not be seen, neither (could) enter into the city.

2 Samuel 17:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:17

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel
Who were the sons of the priests; these did not go into the city of Jerusalem with their parents, when they were sent back by David, ( 2 Samuel 15:27 ) ; but stayed by their direction at this place, which was near Jerusalem, and is called in the Targum the fuller's fountain, where they washed their clothes; and, as Kimchi and Jarchi say, by treading them with their feet, whence it had the name of Rogel, of which (See Gill on Joshua 15:7);

(for they might not be seen to come into the city);
having been charged by their parents to continue there for the sake of carrying intelligence to David, or because suspected by Absalom's party of carrying on such an intrigue:

and a wench went and told them:
what Hushai had communicated to the priests, and what was his advice to David; this girl is supposed by Kimchi and Abarbinel to be of the family of Zadok, by whom she was sufficiently instructed to tell her message, and of whom there would be no suspicion:

and they went and told King David;
the sons of the priests went and related to him all that had been transmitted to them.

2 Samuel 17:17 In-Context

15 And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, Ahithophel gave counsel to Absalom, and to the elder men of Israel in this and this manner, and I gave such and such counsel.

16 Now therefore send ye soon, and tell ye to David, and say ye, Dwell thou not this night in [the] field places of the desert, but pass thou [over] without delay; lest peradventure the king be swallowed up, and all the people that is with him. (And so now send ye to him soon, and tell ye to David, Stay thou not this night at the Fords, or the crossings, of the Wilderness, but cross thou over the river without delay; lest perhaps the king be swallowed up, and all the people who be with him.)

17 And Jonathan and Ahimaaz stood beside the well of Rogel (And Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at Enrogel); (and) an handmaid went, and told to them, and (then) they went forth to tell the message to king David; for they might not be seen, neither (could) enter into the city.

18 And a child saw them, and he showed it to Absalom; and they entered with swift going into the house of a man in Bahurim, that had a pit in his place, and they went down into that pit. (But a boy saw them, and he went and told Absalom; and going swiftly, Jonathan and Ahimaaz entered into the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well at his place, and they went down into that well.)

19 And a woman took, and spread abroad a covering over the mouth of the pit, as (if) drying barley with the peel taken away, and so the thing was hid. (And a woman took, and spread out a covering over the mouth of the well, and then put some peeled barley on top of it, as if to dry it, and so they were hid.)