16. Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ”
17. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David.
18. 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.
19. Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known.
20. And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”So the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.”And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21. Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, “Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.”