Two Spies in a Well

A true friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need…. The

greatest love is shown when a person lays down his life for his friends.Proverbs 17:17; John 15:13

The Facts, Please!• Usually a well is a pit or hole dug into the earth to provide

water. Different kinds of wells are mentioned in the Bible, including some that are just natural sources of water. There are cisterns, pits, springs, and fountains.

http://waltonfeed.com/old/well.html

http://hindunet.org/saraswati/lothal/lothal001.htm

• In the hot, dry climate of Palestine and nearby countries, wells were very important. People who kept large herds of cattle and flocks of sheep especially needed them. In the summer drought when most other sources of water were dried up, animals had to be watered at wells. In villages, a well was the center of activity. People went there, usually in the morning or evening, to get their daily supply of water in leather buckets or in pottery pitchers. Usually the older, unmarried girls went for the water.

The Facts, Please!

• If a person was well-off, he might have his own well on his property. Alongside the well, a cistern was dug in which the water could be stored when

drawn from the well.

At the end of the

summer, when the cistern

was dry, it could make a

good hiding place.

The Facts, Please!

http://irational.org/tunneling/united_kingdom/bristol/ravens_well_ST59947194

Bible Story: The Spies Secret Hiding Place

2 Samuel 15:13-37;

16:15-23; 17:1-29; 18:1-17

Match-up: Friend or Foe?1. Absalom: David’s son who made himself

king.2. Six hundred men: Brave men who went with

David when he fled from Jerusalem.3. Zadok and Abiathar: Priests who went with

David, but returned to gather news and send it to him.

4. Jonathan and Ahimaaz: Sons of the priests and spies for David who risked their lives to bring him news.

5. Many of David’s former friends: They followed after Absalom.

6. Hushai: David’s secret agent who stayed with Absalom to give him bad advice and send messages to David.

7. A servant girl: She slipped out of the city to bring a message for the spies to take to David.

8. Ahithophel: A counselor of David who turned against him and gave advice to Absalom.

9. A woman: She hid the spies in her cistern and would not tell Absalom’s servants where they were.