2 Samuel 17:20

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.”^[a] The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 17:20 in Other Translations

20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

20 When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" And the woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

20 When Absalom’s men arrived, they asked her, “Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied, “They were here, but they crossed over the brook.” Absalom’s men looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.

20 Shortly, Absalom's servants came to the woman's house and asked her, "Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman said, "They were headed toward the river." They looked but didn't find them, and then went back to Jerusalem.

20 Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" "They passed by toward the water," the woman replied to them. The men searched but did 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.

---

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 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.”

22 So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

Cross References

• 1. S Exodus 1:19; Joshua 2:3-5; 1 Samuel 19:12-17

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "“They passed by the sheep pen toward the water.”"