John Gill Commentary 2 Samuel 17:18

"But a lad saw them, and told Absalom: and they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down thither." — 2 Samuel 17:18 (ASV)

Nevertheless, a lad saw them, and told Absalom
Saw them conversing with the girl, and departing for David's army; according to Josephus ^F15, they were some horsemen that saw them about two furlongs or a quarter mile from Jerusalem, and acquainted Absalom with it:

but they went both of them away quickly ;
made all the haste they could with their message to David:

and came to a man's house in Bahurim ;
where very probably they had been informed David had been, where he came weary, and had refreshment, (2 Samuel 16:14); or rather, perceiving they were discovered and pursued, they turned in here, the first place they came to, for safety:

which had a well in his court ;
which they observed, and was the reason of their turning in:

where they went down ;
to hide themselves from their pursuers, it being dry, as sometimes wells were in the summertime: Josephus says {p}, a woman let them down by a rope.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F15: Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7.