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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 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, 2 Sam. 17:15. But, it should seem, he was not sure but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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 , ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 17:18

Nevertheless, a lad saw them, and told Absalom ,.... Saw them conversing with the girl, and departing for David's army; according to Josephus F15 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7. , they were some horsemen that saw them about two furlongs or a quarter mile from Jerusalem, and acquainted Absalom with it: but they went both of them away quickly ; made all the haste they could with their message to David: and came to a man's house in Bahurim ; where very probably they had been informed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 17:19

And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth ,.... This woman, very probably, was the man's wife of the house, as Abarbinel notes; who took a cloth, and spread it over the well's mouth, that it could not be seen or known that there was a well there: and spread ground corn thereon : just taken out of the mill, before it was sifted, while in the bran; or corn unhusked, or just threshed out, in order to be dried in the sun, and then parched; or wheat bruised for that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 17:20

And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house ,.... 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 17:17

En-rogel - The fullers' well; the place where they were accustomed to tread the clothes with their feet; hence the name עין ein , a well, and רגל regel , the foot, because of the treading above mentioned. And a wench went and told them - The word wench occurs nowhere else in the Holy Scriptures: and, indeed, has no business here; as the Hebrew word שפחה shiphchah , should have been translated girl, maid, maid-servant. The word either comes from the Anglo-Saxon, a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 17:15-22

Slight services: a sermon to young persons. "And a wench [the maidservant] went and told them, and they went and told King David" ( 2 Samuel 17:17 ). The people of Israel were divided into two parties—the good and the bad; the servants of King David, who had been driven away from Jerusalem, and the servants of Absalom, who had taken possession of the city and were now intent upon his destruction. The world is also divided into two parties, consisting of those who are for Christ and those... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 17:15-29

The facts are: 1 . Hushai, having informed Zadok and Abiathar of his counsel, urges them to send quickly to David, advising him to flee at once beyond the river. 2 . Their two sons, staying out of the city in order to be of service as occasion required, are informed by a girl of the duty required, and at once go on their errand. 3 . In spite of being recognized by an enemy who told Absalom, they go on their way, and take refuge in a well at Bahurim, where they are secreted by the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 17:17

Stayed by En-rogel. The two youths were posted at En-rogel, that is, the "Fuller's spring," near Jerusalem ( Joshua 15:7 ; 1 Kings 1:9 ), and probably the place now known as "Job's Well," situated at the point where the valleys of Jehoshaphat and Hinnom meet. They were placed there because, though they would have been admitted into the city, they would scarcely have been allowed to leave it. Instead of wench —a term less disrespectful when the Authorized Version was made than it is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 17:18

A lad saw them. Probably Absalom had sent out spies to watch the route which David had taken, to prevent any friends totaling him from the city, who would give him information as to the progress of events there. The word "lad" does not mean a boy; more probably he was one of the young men who formed Absalom's body guard, like the ten "lads," translated "young men," in 2 Samuel 18:15 , Who bare Joab's armour. It Would be his duty to seize them, but when he tried to approach them, they fled,... read more

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