20 It was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The covert of the hill - Probably a defile or glen, literally a "secret place," as in 1-Samuel 19:2. She was riding down into this glen from one side, while David and his men were descending the opposite hill. It is perhaps mentioned that she came by this "secret place," because she chose this path to escape the observation of her husband or of anyone else.
She came down - and David - came down - David was coming down Mount Paran; Abigail was coming down from Carmel. - Calmet.
And it was so, as she rode on the ass,.... After her servants:
that she came down, by the covert of the hill; by the side of it, which was covered with bushes, and she rode among them, in a way that led through them, and so was not seen by David and his men; or by the shadow of the hill, toward the bottom of it, where by reason of that, and the opposite hill, it was darkish, and they could not see each other:
and, behold, David and his men came down against her; came down a hill opposite to that she came down:
and she met them; in the valley between two hills.
When she came down riding upon the ass by a hidden part of the mountain, David and his men came to meet her, so that she lighted upon them. ההר סתר, a hidden part of the mountain, was probably a hollow between two peaks of a mountain. This would explain the use of the word ירד, to come down, with reference both to Abigail, who approached on the one side, and David, who came on the other.
*More commentary available at chapter level.