2 Samuel 17:20

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, 'Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?' She answered, 'They crossed over the stream.' The servants searched but did not find them, and they returned to Jerusalem.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ עַבְדֵי֩ אַבְשָׁל֨וֹם אֶֽל־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבַּ֗יְתָה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֗ה אֲחִימַ֙עַץ֙ וִיה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה עָבְר֖וּ מִיכַ֣ל הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֔אוּ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

Transliteration

And-wayyābōʾû ʿabədê ʾAbšālōm to-the-ʾiššâ the-house and-wayyōʾmərû where ʾĂḥîmaʿaṣ and-wîhônātān and-wattōʾmer to-them the-ʾiššâ they-crossed mîkal the-water and-waybaqqəšû and-not māṣāʾû and-wayyāšubû Yərûšālāim

Grammar Details

• *wayyābōʾû*: waw consecutive + imperfect, 3rd plural - and they came
• *ʿabədê*: noun, masculine plural construct - servants of
• *ʾAbšālōm*: proper noun, masculine - Absalom
• *ʾiššâ*: noun, feminine singular - woman
• *wayyōʾmərû*: waw consecutive + imperfect, 3rd plural - and they said
• *ʾĂḥîmaʿaṣ*: proper noun, masculine - Ahimaaz
• *wîhônātān*: proper noun, masculine - Jonathan
• *wattōʾmer*: waw consecutive + imperfect, 3rd feminine singular - and she said
• *māṣāʾû*: perfect, 3rd plural - they found
• *waybaqqəšû*: waw consecutive + imperfect, 3rd plural - and they sought
• *wayyāšubû*: waw consecutive + imperfect, 3rd plural - and they returned
• *Yərûšālāim*: proper noun - Jerusalem

Word Meanings

• *mîkal*: channel/stream of/conduit of

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And when Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Absalom's{H53} servants{H5650} came{H935} to the woman{H802} to the house;{H1004} and they said,{H559} Where are Ahimaaz{H290} and Jonathan?{H3083} And the woman{H802} said{H559} unto them, They are gone over{H5674} the brook{H4323} of water.{H4325} And when they had sought{H1245} and could not find{H4672} them, they returned{H7725} to Jerusalem.{H3389}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And when Absalom's{H53} servants{H5650} came{H935}{(H8799)} to the woman{H802} to the house{H1004}, they said{H559}{(H8799)}, Where is Ahimaaz{H290} and Jonathan{H3083}? And the woman{H802} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, They be gone over{H5674}{(H8804)} the brook{H4323} of water{H4325}. And when they had sought{H1245}{(H8762)} and could not find{H4672}{(H8804)} them, they returned{H7725}{(H8799)} to Jerusalem{H3389}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Now whan Absaloms seruauntes came to the woman in to the house, they sayde: where is Ahimaaz and Ionathas? The woma sayde vnto them: They are gone ouer the litle water. And wha they soughte and founde them not, they wente agayne to Ierusalem.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And when Absaloms seruants came to the wife into the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Ionathan? And the woman answered them, They be gone ouer the brooke of water; when they had sought them, and could not finde them, they returned to Ierusalem.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And when Absaloms seruauntes came to the wyfe to the house, they sayde: Where is Ahimaaz & Ionathan? The woman aunswered the: They be gone ouer the brooke of water. And whe they had sought them, and coulde not finde them, they returned to Hierusalem.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where [is] Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find [them], they returned to Jerusalem.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? The woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And the servants of Absalom come in unto the woman to the house, and say, `Where `are' Ahimaaz and Jonathan?' and the woman saith to them, `They passed over the brook of water;' and they seek, and have not found, and turn back to Jerusalem.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They are gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They are gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have gone from here to the stream. And after searching for them, and seeing nothing of them, they went back to Jerusalem.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  When the servants of Absalom approached the woman at her home, they asked,“Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied to them,“They crossed over the stream.” Absalom’s men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

Referenced Verses

• Exod 1:19 : 19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."
• Josh 2:3-5 : 3 So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they've come to spy on the entire land." 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I didn't know where they were from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left, and I don’t know where they went. Pursue them quickly, and you might catch up with them!"
• Josh 2:22-23 : 22 They went to the hill country and stayed there for three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers searched all along the road but did not find them. 23 Then the two men came down from the hill country, crossed over, and went to Joshua son of Nun. They reported to him all that had happened to them.
• 1 Sam 19:12-17 : 12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled and escaped. 13 Michal then took a household idol, placed it in the bed, put a quilt made of goat's hair at its head, and covered it with a garment. 14 When Saul sent messengers to capture David, Michal said, 'He is sick.' 15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, 'Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him.' 16 When the messengers arrived, they found the household idol in the bed, with a quilt of goat's hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, 'Why have you deceived me like this? You let my enemy go, and he has escaped.' Michal answered Saul, 'He said to me,
• 1 Sam 21:2 : 2 David went to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he met David and said to him, 'Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?'
• 1 Sam 27:11-12 : 11 David did not leave alive a man or woman to bring to Gath, for he thought, "They might inform against us, saying, 'This is what David did.'" This was his practice the whole time he lived in Philistine territory. 12 Achish trusted David and thought, "He has made himself utterly detestable to his own people Israel, and he will be my servant forever."
• 2 Sam 15:34 : 34 'But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, “Your servant will serve you, O king; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,” then you can thwart Ahithophel’s advice for me.'