2 Samuel 17:17

17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel; a servant-girl used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they could not risk being seen entering 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 Then Hushai said to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, "Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and so I have counseled.

16 Therefore send quickly and tell David, "Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over; otherwise the king and all the people who are with him will be swallowed up.' "

17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel; a servant-girl used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they could not risk being seen entering the city.

18 But a boy saw them, and told Absalom; so both of them went away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it.

19 The man's wife took a covering, stretched it over the well's mouth, and spread out grain on it; and nothing was known of it.