16 Now therefore send H7971 quickly, H4120 and tell H5046 David, H1732 saying, H559 Lodge H3885 not this night H3915 in the plains H6160 H5679 of the wilderness, H4057 but speedily H5674 pass over; H5674 lest the king H4428 be swallowed up, H1104 and all the people H5971 that are with him.
17 Now Jonathan H3083 and Ahimaaz H290 stayed H5975 by Enrogel; H5883 for they might H3201 not be seen H7200 to come H935 into the city: H5892 and a wench H8198 went H1980 and told H5046 them; and they went H3212 and told H5046 king H4428 David. H1732
18 Nevertheless a lad H5288 saw H7200 them, and told H5046 Absalom: H53 but they went H3212 both H8147 of them away quickly, H4120 and came H935 to a man's H376 house H1004 in Bahurim, H980 which had a well H875 in his court; H2691 whither H8033 they went down. H3381
19 And the woman H802 took H3947 and spread H6566 a covering H4539 over the well's H875 mouth, H6440 and spread H7849 ground corn H7383 thereon; and the thing H1697 was not known. H3045
20 And when Absalom's H53 servants H5650 came H935 to the woman H802 to the house, H1004 they said, H559 Where is Ahimaaz H290 and Jonathan? H3083 And the woman H802 said H559 unto them, They be gone over H5674 the brook H4323 of water. H4325 And when they had sought H1245 and could not find H4672 them, they returned H7725 to Jerusalem. H3389
21 And it came to pass, after H310 they were departed, H3212 that they came up H5927 out of the well, H875 and went H3212 and told H5046 king H4428 David, H1732 and said H559 unto David, H1732 Arise, H6965 and pass quickly H4120 over H5674 the water: H4325 for thus hath Ahithophel H302 counselled H3289 against you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 17
Commentary on 2 Samuel 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
The contest between David and Absalom is now hasting towards a crisis. It must be determined by the sword, and preparation is made accordingly in this chapter.
There we shall, in the next chapter, find the cause decided by a battle: hitherto, every thing has looked black upon poor David, but now the day of his deliverance begins to dawn.
2Sa 17:1-14
Absalom is now in peaceable possession of Jerusalem; the palace-royal is his own, as are the thrones of judgment, even the thrones of the house of David. His good father reigned in Hebron, and only over the tribe of Judah, above seven years, and was not hasty to destroy his rival; his government was built upon a divine promise, the performance of which he was sure of in due time, and therefore he waited patiently in the mean time. But the young man, Absalom, not only hastens from Hebron to Jerusalem, but is impatient there till he has destroyed his father, cannot be content with his throne till he has his life; for his government is founded in iniquity, and therefore feels itself tottering and thinks itself obliged to do every thing with violence. That so profligate a wretch as Absalom should aim at the life of so good a father is not so strange (there are here and there monsters in nature); but that the body of the people of Israel, to whom David had been so great a blessing in all respects, should join with him in his attempt, is very amazing. But their fathers often mutinied against Moses. The best of parents, and the best of princes will not think it strange if they be made uneasy by those who should be their support and joy, when they consider what sons and what subjects David himself had.
David and all that adhered to him must be cut off. This was resolved, for aught that appears, nemine contradicente-unanimously. None durst mention his personal merits, and the great services done to his country, in opposition to this resolve, nor so much as ask, "Why, what evil has he done to forfeit his crown, much less his head?' None durst propose that his banishment should suffice, for the present, nor that agents should be sent to treat with him to resign the crown, which, having so tamely quitted the city, they might think he would easily be persuaded to do. It was not long since that Absalom himself fled for a crime, and David contented himself with his being an exile, though he deserved death, nay, he mourned and longed for him; but so perfectly void of all natural affection is this ungrateful Absalom that he eagerly thirsts after his own father's blood. It is past dispute that David must be destroyed; all the question is how he may be destroyed.
2Sa 17:15-21
We must now leave David's enemies pleasing themselves with the thoughts of a sure victory by following Hushai's counsel, and sending a summons, no doubt, to all the tribes of Israel, to come to the general rendezvous at a place appointed, pursuant to that counsel; and we next find David's friends consulting how to get him notice of all this, that he might steer his course accordingly. Hushai tells the priests what had passed in council, v. 15. But, it should seem, he was not sure but that yet Ahithophel's counsel might be followed, and was therefore jealous lest, if he made not the best of his way, the king would be swallowed up, and all the people that were with him, v. 16. Perhaps, as he was called in to give advice (v. 5), so he was dismissed before they came to that resolve (v. 14) in favour of his advice, or he feared they might afterwards change their mind. However, it was good to provide against the worst, and therefore to hasten those valuable lives out of the reach of these destroyers. Such strict guards did Absalom set upon all the avenues to Jerusalem that they had much ado to get this necessary intelligence to David.
2Sa 17:22-29
Here is,