Lectionary Calendar
Monday, April 6th, 2026
Monday in Easter Week
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Samuel 17:21

When the coast was clear, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went on to make their report to King David, "Get up and cross the river quickly; Ahithophel has given counsel against you!"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abiathar;   Ahithophel;   David;   Falsehood;   Friendship;   Jonathan;   Zadok;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Ahithophel;   Hushai;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel;   Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Olives, Mount of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz ;   Ahithophel ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Ahimaaz;   En-rogel;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ahim'a-Az;   Ahith'ophel;   Jon'athan,;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Samuel, Books of;   Zadok;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ahimaaz;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ahithophel;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”
Hebrew Names Version
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 Achitofel counseled against you.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
After they left, they came up from the well and went and told King David. They said to David, "Set out and cross over the water quickly, for thus Ahithophel has advised against you."
English Standard Version
After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, "Arise, and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you."
New Century Version
After Absalom's servants left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well and went to tell King David. They said, "Hurry, cross over the river! Ahithophel has said these things against you!"
New English Translation
After the men had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well. Then they left and informed King David. They advised David, "Get up and cross the stream quickly, for Ahithophel has devised a plan to catch you."
Amplified Bible
After they left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz came up out of the well and went and informed King David, and said to David, "Arise and cross over the Jordan River quickly, for Ahithophel has advised [an attack] against you."
New American Standard Bible
It came about after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and reported to King David; and they said to David, "Set out and cross over the water quickly, because this is what Ahithophel has advised against you."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And assoone as they were departed, the other came out of the well, and went and tolde King Dauid, and sayde vnto him, Vp, and get you quickely ouer the water: for such counsell hath Ahithophel giuen against you.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened after they went away, that they came up out of the well and went and informed King David; and they said to David, "Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you."
Contemporary English Version
After the soldiers had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to David and said, "Hurry! Get ready to cross the river!" Then they told him about Ahithophel's plan.
Complete Jewish Bible
After they had left, the two climbed out of the cistern and went and told King David, "Get up and cross the river, because Achitofel has given such-and-such advice against you."
Darby Translation
And it came to pass after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you.
Easy-to-Read Version
After Absalom's servants left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well and went to King David. They said to David, "Hurry, go across the river. Ahithophel is planning to do something to you."
George Lamsa Translation
And after Absaloms servants had gone, they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to him, Arise and cross quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you.
Good News Translation
After they left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan came up out of the well and went and reported to King David. They told him what Ahithophel had planned against him and said, "Hurry up and cross the river."
Literal Translation
And it happened after they left, they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David, Rise up and quickly pass over the waters, for Ahithophel has counseled this against you.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan they were gone, they clymmed vp out of the well, and wente their waye, and tolde Dauid ye kynge, and sayde vnto Dauid: Get you vp, and go soone ouer ye water, for thus and thus hath Achitophel geuen councell agaynst you.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said unto David, Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water; for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.
Bible in Basic English
Then after the servants had gone away, they came up out of the water-hole and went to give King David the news; and they said, Get up and go quickly over the water, for such and such are Ahithophel's designs against you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And assoone as they were departed, the other came out of the wel, and went and tolde king Dauid, and sayde vnto him: Up, and get you quickly ouer the water, for suche counsel hath Ahithophel geuen against you.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said unto David: 'Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water; for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.'
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe after they were departed, that they came vp out of the Well, and went and tolde king Dauid, and said vnto Dauid, Arise, and passe quickely ouer the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass after they were gone, that they came up out of the pit, and went on their way; and reported to king David, and said to David, Arise ye and go quickly over the water, for thus has Achitophel counselled concerning you.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said unto David, Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.
Berean Standard Bible
After the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up out of the well and went to inform King David, saying, "Get up and cross over the river at once, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne thei `that souyten hadden go, thei stieden fro the pit; and thei yeden, and telden to kyng Dauid, and seiden, Rise ye, passe ye soone the flood, for Achitofel yaf sich counsel ayens you.
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, after their going on, that they come up out of the well, and go and declare to king David, and say unto David, `Rise ye, and pass over hastily the waters, for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.'
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass, after they departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came out of the well, and went and told king David, and said to David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counseled against you.
World English Bible
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.
New King James Version
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, "Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you."
New Living Translation
Then the two men crawled out of the well and hurried on to King David. "Quick!" they told him, "cross the Jordan tonight!" And they told him how Ahithophel had advised that he be captured and killed.
New Life Bible
When they had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan came up out of the well and went and told King David. They said to David, "Be quick to get ready and cross over the water. For Ahithophel has told them to come against you."
New Revised Standard
After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, "Go and cross the water quickly; for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, after those had gone, that these came up out of the well, and went, and told King David, - and said unto David, - Arise ye and pass quickly over the water, for, thus and thus, hath Ahithophel counselled against you.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they were gone, they came up out of the well, and going on told king David, and said: Arise, and pass quickly over the river: for this manner of counsel has Achitophel given against you.
Revised Standard Version
After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, "Arise, and go quickly over the water; for thus and so has Ahith'ophel counseled against you."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
It came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, "Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you."

Contextual Overview

15Then Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, "Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel thus and thus, and I advised them thus and thus. Now send this message as quickly as possible to David: ‘Don't spend the night on this side of the river; cross immediately or the king and everyone with him will be swallowed up alive.'" 17Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting around at En Rogel. A servant girl would come and give them messages and then they would go and tell King David, for it wasn't safe to be seen coming into the city. But a soldier spotted them and told Absalom, so the two of them got out of there fast and went to a man's house in Bahurim. He had a well in his yard and they climbed into it. The wife took a rug and covered the well, then spread grain on it so no one would notice anything out of the ordinary. 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. 21 When the coast was clear, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went on to make their report to King David, "Get up and cross the river quickly; Ahithophel has given counsel against you!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Arise: 2 Samuel 17:15, 2 Samuel 17:16

thus hath Ahithophel: 2 Samuel 17:1-3

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 23:26 - David made haste Psalms 55:7 - General Psalms 71:4 - out of the Psalms 124:7 - Our soul

Cross-References

Genesis 17:3
Overwhelmed, Abram fell flat on his face. Then God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: You'll be the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that ‘I'm making you the father of many nations.' I'll make you a father of fathers—I'll make nations from you, kings will issue from you. I'm establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that includes your descendants, a covenant that goes on and on and on, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants. And I'm giving you and your descendants this land where you're now just camping, this whole country of Canaan, to own forever. And I'll be their God."
Genesis 18:10
One of them said, "I'm coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.
Genesis 46:1
So Israel set out on the journey with everything he owned. He arrived at Beersheba and worshiped, offering sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
Exodus 2:24
God listened to their groanings. God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Exodus 3:6
Then he said, "I am the God of your father: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God.
Acts 1:7
He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 s 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.

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


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile