Daily Tanach Sunday Shmuel 2 Chapter 17: The battle between Avshalom and Dovid

1.      The planted informers of Dovid are sent to inform him of the ensuing threat:

• Chushaiy met with Tzadok and Avyasar the priests and he told them the advice that was given by Achitofel to Avshalom and to the elders of the Jewish people, and the advice that he had given. “Now, send [your children Yehonason and Achimatz] off right away to inform Dovid of the ensuing danger and they should tell him that he should not sleep at night in the plains of the desert and rather that he should cross the Jordan, as perhaps the king and nation in the end will decide to follow the advice of Achitofel.”
• Yehonason and Achimatz are sent on a mission to inform Dovid: At that time, Yehonason and Achimatz remained outside of the city, out of fear of being caught, and they were by a spring of water where laundry was done. A maidservant [of Tzadok[1]] came and informed them of the above matter and that they should immediately travel to King Dovid and inform him of the impending danger.
• Yehonason and Achimatz are seen and need to run away: However, as they were leaving, they were seen by a certain lad who informed Avshalom of their whereabouts. They therefore hurriedly traveled to hide in the home of a friend in Bachurim who had a well in his courtyard, and they descended into the well. The wife of the man took a curtain and covered the well with it, and then spread upon the curtain the grains in order to dry in order so no one would suspect that they are there. The servants of Avshalom arrived to the house of the woman and they asked her as to the whereabouts of Yehonason and Achimatz, to which the woman replied that they had already crossed the river. They therefore went on to search for them but could not find them and therefore returned to Jerusalem.
• Yehonason and Achimatz leave the well and inform Dovid of the impending danger: After the men of Avshalom had left, Yehonason and Achimatz climbed out from the well and they traveled to Dovid and informed him of the impending danger. They said to Dovid as follows, “Get up and quickly cross the Jordan as Achitofel has advised the following regarding you.”
• Dovid and his men flee across the Jordan: Dovid and all of the people who were with him got up and they crossed the Jordan. They traveled until the morning. There was not one man left behind who did not cross with them across the Jordan.

[1] Radak 16:17