2 Samuel 17:21

21 It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise you, and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.

2 Samuel 17:21 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:21

And it came to pass after they were departed
The servants of Absalom:

that they came up out of the well;
the sons of the priests, being informed by the woman that they were gone; Josephus ^F19 says they were drawn up by the woman with a rope:

and went and told King David;
who was now in the plain of the wilderness, perhaps near Jericho, and not a great way from Jordan, to whom they related the whole of their message:

and said unto David;
as they were directed:

arise, and pass quickly over the water;
the river Jordan:

for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you;
to come with twelve thousand men, and fall upon him that very night; and it was not certain his counsel would be rejected; and therefore it was advisable for David to prepare against the worst.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7. Hudson. not. in ib.

2 Samuel 17:21 In-Context

19 The woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and strewed bruised grain thereon; and nothing was known.

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

21 It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise you, and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.

22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and got him home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.