2 Samuel 17:19

“And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, etc.] 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 f290 they were locks of wool she spread: and the thing was not known; that the young men were in the well.”

“A covering - Hebrew “the covering,” perhaps “the hanging” or “awning” at the door of the house, as the word seems to mean when spoken of the tabernacle. Ground corn - Or “peeled barley,” which she spread out as if for the purpose of drying it in the sun. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Spread corn - Under pretence of drying it by the sun: which shews it was summer - time. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 17:20”

“spread a covering: Jos 2:4-6, 5-24 the thing: Exo 1:19 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 17:20”

“And the man's wife spread a covering (המּסך, the covering which she had close at hand) over the well (over the opening into the cistern), and scattered groats (ריפות, peeled barley: Pro 27:22) upon it, so that nothing was noticed. The Vulgate explanation is a very good one: "quasi siccans ptisanas" (as if drying peeled barley). 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 17:20”