⁴ But the woman had taken the two men^(A) and hidden them.^(B) She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from.

¹⁹ Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

¹⁹ His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.^(A)

²⁰ When Absalom’s men came to the woman^(B) at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.”^[a] The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

¹⁸ Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. ¹⁹ Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”^(A)

¹⁹ The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”^(A)