2 Samuel 17:18
ESV
But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it.
NIV
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. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
NASB
But a boy did see them, and he told Absalom; so the two of them left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it.
CSB
However, a young man did see them and informed Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
NLT
But a boy spotted them at En-rogel, and he told Absalom about it. So they quickly escaped to Bahurim, where a man hid them down inside a well in his courtyard.
KJV
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.
NKJV
Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it.
What does 2 Samuel 17:18 mean?
David and his people are encamped on the near side of the Jordan River. Earlier that day, they heard Absalom was marching towards Jerusalem with his followers after declaring himself king. David's former counselor, Ahithophel, knows the importance of acting quickly. He wants a task force of troops to kill David and bring back his people before they have time to regroup. David's spy, Hushai, has convinced Absalom to wait and lead a larger army (2 Samuel 17:1–14).Hushai is still concerned. He tells the priests Zadok and Abiathar, who had agreed to spy on Absalom (2 Samuel 15:24–29), to warn David to cross the river immediately. The priests send a servant woman to meet their sons Jonathan and Ahimaaz, in En Rogel. Unfortunately, they're seen by a young man who races back to Jerusalem to tell Absalom. Jonathan and Ahimaaz hurry to Bahurim and hide in a well. The woman whose husband owns the property puts the cover over it and scatters grain to make it look like it hasn't been disturbed in a while. When the guards ask her, she tells them the two men left. When the guards don't find them, they return to Jerusalem. Jonathan and Ahimaaz make it to David, and the people cross the river (2 Samuel 17:19–22).
Earlier that day, David and his people passed by Bahurim. The town is in Benjamin, the tribe of Saul. Saul's relative, Shimei, welcomed Absalom's rebellion. He cursed at David, claiming he had destroyed Saul and his family and stolen the crown. He threw rocks at David and his men as if they had committed a capital offense and deserved to be stoned (2 Samuel 16:5–8).
Abishai, one of David's generals, offered to remove Shimei's head, but David stopped him. David knew Absalom's coup was part of God's judgment on him for his sin against Uriah (2 Samuel 12:11). David suspected that Shimei's rage was part of that punishment, as well. He was resolved to submit to whatever burden God placed on him (2 Samuel 16:9–13).
