17 (A)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz (B)stayed at (C)En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house (D)in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it. 19 (E)Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

So (F)the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.”

And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21 Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, (G)“Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.” 22 So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to (H)his house, to his city. Then he [a]put his (I)household in order, and (J)hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.

24 Then David went to (K)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made (L)Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was [b]Jithra, an [c]Israelite, who had gone in to (M)Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that (N)Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, (O)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and (P)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, 29 honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty (Q)in the wilderness.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 17:23 Lit. gave charge concerning his house
  2. 2 Samuel 17:25 Jether, 1 Chr. 2:17
  3. 2 Samuel 17:25 So with MT, some LXX mss., Tg.; some LXX mss. Ishmaelite (cf. 1 Chr. 2:17); Vg. of Jezrael

17 Jonathan(A) and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel.(B) 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.(C) 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.(D)

20 When Absalom’s men came to the woman(E) 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.

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.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice(F) had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order(G) and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

Absalom’s Death

24 David went to Mahanaim,(H) and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Absalom had appointed Amasa(I) over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether,[b](J) an Ishmaelite[c] who had married Abigail,[d] the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab. 26 The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash(K) from Rabbah(L) of the Ammonites, and Makir(M) son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai(N) the Gileadite(O) from Rogelim 28 brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,[e] 29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat.(P) For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 17:20 Or “They passed by the sheep pen toward the water.”
  2. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Ithra, a variant of Jether
  3. 2 Samuel 17:25 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 2:17); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Israelite
  4. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Abigal, a variant of Abigail
  5. 2 Samuel 17:28 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew lentils, and roasted grain

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.

18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.

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.

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.

21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.

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

23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.

26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,

29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

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