Shmuel Bais 17:19

19 And the isha took and spread a masakh (covering, curtain) over the mouth of the be’er, and spread hulled grain thereon; and the thing was not known.

Shmuel Bais 17:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:19

And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's
mouth
This woman, very probably, was the man's wife of the house, as Abarbinel notes; who took a cloth, and spread it over the well's mouth, that it could not be seen or known that there was a well there:

and spread ground corn thereon:
just taken out of the mill, before it was sifted, while in the bran; or corn unhusked, or just threshed out, in order to be dried in the sun, and then parched; or wheat bruised for that purpose: Josephus says ^F17 they were locks of wool she spread:

and the thing was not known;
that the young men were in the well.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7.

Shmuel Bais 17:19 In-Context

17 Now Yonatan and Achima’atz stayed by Ein-Rogel; for they dared not be seen to come into the Ir; and a shifchah went and told them; and they went and told Dovid HaMelech.

18 Nevertheless a na’ar saw them, and told Avshalom; but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a bais ish in Bachurim, which had a be’er (well) in his khatzer; to where they went down.

19 And the isha took and spread a masakh (covering, curtain) over the mouth of the be’er, and spread hulled grain thereon; and the thing was not known.

20 And when the avadim of Avshalom came to the bais to the isha, they said, Where is Achima’atz and Yonatan? And the isha said unto them, They are gone over the brook of mayim. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Yerushalayim.

21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they climbed up out of the be’er (well), and went and told Dovid HaMelech, and said unto Dovid, Arise, and cross quickly over the mayim; for thus hath Achitophel counselled against you.