Discovery Box2 Samuel 17:21-26
Context17:21 After the men had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan 1 climbed out of the well. Then they left and informed King David. They advised David, “Get up and cross the stream 2 quickly, for Ahithophel has devised a plan to catch you.” 3 17:22 So David and all the people who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan River. 4 By dawn there was not one person left who had not crossed the Jordan.
17:23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave 5 of his father.
17:24 Meanwhile David had gone to Mahanaim, while Absalom and all the men of Israel had crossed the Jordan River. 17:25 Absalom had made Amasa general in command of the army in place of Joab. (Now Amasa was the son of an Israelite man named Jether, who had married 6 Abigail the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.) 17:26 The army of Israel 7 and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
[17:21] 1 tn Heb “they”; the referents (Ahimaaz and Jonathan) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:21] 3 tn Heb “for thus Ahithophel has devised against you.” The expression “thus” is narrative shorthand, referring to the plan outlined by Ahithophel (see vv. 1-3). The men would surely have outlined the plan in as much detail as they had been given by the messenger.
[17:22] 4 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text here or in v. 24, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[17:23] 7 tc The Greek recensions of Origen and Lucian have here “house” for “grave.”
