2 Samuel 17:19 His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.

◄ 2 Samuel 17:19 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.

English Standard Version
And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it.

New American Standard Bible
And the woman took a covering and spread it over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known.

King James Bible
And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.

International Standard Version
The man's wife grabbed a sheet, covered the mouth of the well with it, and spread some dried grain over it. As a result, nobody could tell it was a hiding place.

American Standard Version
And the woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and strewed bruised grain thereon; and nothing was known.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And a woman took, and spread a covering over the mouth of the well, as it were to dry sodden barley: and so the thing was not known.

Darby Bible Translation
And the woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn on it; and the thing was not known.

Young's Literal Translation
and the woman taketh and spreadeth the covering over the face of the well, and spreadeth on it the ground corn, and the thing hath not been known.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

17:1-21 Here was a wonderful effect of Divine Providence blinding Absalom's mind and influencing his heart, that he could not rest in Ahithophel's counsel, and that he should desire Hushai's advice. But there is no contending with that God who can arm a man against himself, and destroy him by his own mistakes and passions. Ahithophel's former counsel was followed, for God intended to correct David; but his latter counsel was not followed, for God meant not to destroy him. He can overrule all counsels. Whatever wisdom or help any man employs or affords, the success is from God alone, who will not let his people perish.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

18. and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court—The court was that of the house, and the well an empty cistern. All the houses of the better class are furnished with such reservoirs. Nothing could more easily happen than that one of these wells, in consequence of a deficiency of water, should become dry and it would then answer as a place of retreat, such as David's friends found in the man's house at Bahurim. The spreading of a covering over the well's mouth for the drying of corn is a common practice.