This word, once good English, was used by the Bishops' Bible of 1568, and was transferred to AV at 2Sa 17:17. So Wyclif at Mt 9:24 'Go ye away, for the wenche is not dead, but slepith.'
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city.
"Leave," He said, "because the girl isn't dead, but sleeping." And they started laughing at Him.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.