16 “And now, send hastily and inform Dawiḏ, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the desert plains of the wilderness, but pass over without fail, lest the sovereign and all the people with him be swallowed up.’ ”
17 And Yehonathan and Aḥima‛ats were stationed at Ěn Rog̅ĕl, and a female servant would come and inform them, and they would go and inform Sovereign Dawiḏ, for they could not be seen entering the city.
18 But a youth saw them, and informed Aḇshalom. So the two of them went away at once and came to a man’s house in Baḥurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it.
19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it, so the matter was not known.
20 And the servants of Aḇshalom came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Aḥima‛ats and Yehonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have passed over the stream of water.” And they looked and did not find them, and returned to Yerushalayim.
21 And it came to be, after they had left, that they came up out of the well and went and informed Sovereign Dawiḏ, and said to Dawiḏ, “Arise and pass over the water quickly. For thus Aḥithophel has advised against you.”
22 And Dawiḏ and all the people who were with him rose up and passed over the Yardĕn. And by morning light not even one remained who had not gone over the Yardĕn.