2 Samuel 18:19

THE MESSAGE

Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, said, "Let me run to the king and bring him the good news that God has delivered him from his enemies." But Joab said, "You're not the one to deliver the good news today; some other day, maybe, but it's not ‘good news' today." (This was because the king's son was dead.)

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”

Hebrew Names Version
Then said Achima`atz the son of Tzadok, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.

King James Version
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.

Lexham English Bible
Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the good news to the king that Yahweh has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies."

English Standard Version
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies."

New Century Version
Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, "Let me run and take the news to King David. I'll tell him the Lord has saved him from his enemies."

New English Translation
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies."

Amplified Bible
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, said, "Let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has vindicated him by rescuing him from [the power of] his enemies."

New American Standard Bible
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has freed him from the hand of his enemies!"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, I pray thee, let me runne, and beare the King tidings that the Lorde hath deliuered him out of the hande of his enemies.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and proclaim the good news to the king that Yahweh has judged to save him from the hand of his enemies."

Contemporary English Version
Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Joab, let me run and tell King David that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies."

Complete Jewish Bible
Then Achima‘atz the son of Tzadok said, "Let me run now and bring news to the king that Adonai has judged in his favor by releasing him from his enemies."

Darby Translation
And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me run, I pray, and carry the king the news that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.

Easy-to-Read Version
Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said to Joab, "May I run and take the news to King David? I'll tell him the Lord has destroyed the enemy for him."

George Lamsa Translation
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run and bring the good tidings to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.

Good News Translation
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, "Let me run to the king with the good news that the Lord has saved him from his enemies."

Literal Translation
And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Please let me run, and I will bear news to the king. For Jehovah has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ahimaas the sonne of Sadoc sayde: Let me runne now, and brynge the kynge worde, that the LORDE hath gotten him righte fro the hande of his enemies.

American Standard Version
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemies.

Bible in Basic English
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me go and give the king news of how the Lord has done right in his cause against those who took up arms against him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayd Ahimaaz the sonne of Sadoc: Let me runne nowe and beare the king tydinges, how that the Lord hath iudged him quyte of the hande of his enemies.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok: 'Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.'

King James Version (1611)
Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, Let mee now runne, and beare the King tidings, how that the Lord hath auenged him of his enemies.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said, Let me run now and carry glad tidings to the king, for the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.

English Revised Version
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Achymaas, sone of Sadoch, seide, Y schal renne, and Y schal telle to the kyng, that the Lord hath maad doom to hym of the hond of hise enemyes.

Young's Literal Translation
And Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, `Let me run, I pray thee, and I bear the king tidings, for Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of his enemies;'

Update Bible Version
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and inform the king, how the LORD hath avenged himself of his enemies.

World English Bible
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.

New King James Version
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies."

New Living Translation
Then Zadok's son Ahimaaz said, "Let me run to the king with the good news that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies."

New Life Bible
Then Zadok's son Ahimaaz said, "Let me run and bring the king news that the Lord has saved him from those who hate him."

New Revised Standard
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the power of his enemies."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then, Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, Let me run, I pray thee, and carry tidings unto the king, - how that Yahweh hath vindicated him, at the hand of his enemies.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said: I will run and tell the king, that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies.

Revised Standard Version
Then said Ahi'ma-az the son of Zadok, "Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the power of his enemies."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has freed him from the hand of his enemies."

Contextual Overview

¹⁹Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, said, "Let me run to the king and bring him the good news that God has delivered him from his enemies." But Joab said, "You're not the one to deliver the good news today; some other day, maybe, but it's not ‘good news' today." (This was because the king's son was dead.) ²¹ Then Joab ordered a Cushite, "You go. Tell the king what you've seen." "Yes sir," said the Cushite, and ran off. ²² Ahimaaz son of Zadok kept at it, begging Joab, "What does it matter? Let me run, too, following the Cushite." Joab said, "Why all this ‘Run, run'? You'll get no thanks for it, I can tell you." ²³ "I don't care; let me run." "Okay," said Joab, "run." So Ahimaaz ran, taking the lower valley road, and passed the Cushite. ²⁴David was sitting between the two gates. The sentry had gone up to the top of the gate on the wall and looked around. He saw a solitary runner. The sentry called down and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, it must be good news!" As the runner came closer, the sentry saw another runner and called down to the gate, "Another runner all by himself." And the king said, "This also must be good news." Then the sentry said, "I can see the first man now; he runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." "He's a good man," said the king. "He's bringing good news for sure." Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "Peace!" Then he bowed deeply before the king, his face to the ground. "Blessed be your God ; he has handed over the men who rebelled against my master the king." The king asked, "But is the young man Absalom all right?" Ahimaaz said, "I saw a huge ruckus just as Joab was sending me off, but I don't know what it was about." The king said, "Step aside and stand over there." So he stepped aside. Then the Cushite arrived and said, "Good news, my master and king! God has given victory today over all those who rebelled against you!" "But," said the king, "is the young man Absalom all right?" And the Cushite replied, "Would that all of the enemies of my master the king and all who maliciously rose against you end up like that young man." The king was stunned. Heartbroken, he went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he wept he cried out, O my son Absalom, my dear, dear son Absalom! Why not me rather than you, my death and not yours, O Absalom, my dear, dear son! ²⁶ David organized his forces. He appointed captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. Then David deployed his troops, a third under Joab, a third under Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king then announced, "I'm marching with you." They said, "No, you mustn't march with us. If we're forced to retreat, the enemy won't give it a second thought. And if half of us die, they won't do so either. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It will be better for us if you stay in the city and help from there." "If you say so," said the king. "I'll do what you think is best." And so he stood beside the city gate as the whole army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. Then the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." The whole army heard what the king commanded the three captains regarding Absalom. The army took the field to meet Israel. It turned out that the battle was joined in the Forest of Ephraim. The army of Israel was beaten badly there that day by David's men, a terrific slaughter—twenty thousand men! There was fighting helter-skelter all over the place—the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword! Absalom ran into David's men, but was out in front of them riding his mule, when the mule ran under the branches of a huge oak tree. Absalom's head was caught in the oak and he was left dangling between heaven and earth, the mule running right out from under him. A solitary soldier saw him and reported it to Joab, "I just saw Absalom hanging from an oak tree!" Joab said to the man who told him, "If you saw him, why didn't you kill him then and there? I'd have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a fancy belt." The man told Joab, "Even if I'd had a chance at a thousand pieces of silver, I wouldn't have laid a hand on the king's son. We all heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, protect the young man Absalom.' Why, I'd be risking my life, for nothing is hidden from the king. And you would have just stood there!" Joab said, "I can't waste my time with you." He then grabbed three knives and stabbed Absalom in the heart while he was still alive in the tree; by then Absalom was surrounded by ten of Joab's armor bearers; they hacked away at him and killed him. Joab then blew the ram's horn trumpet, calling off the army in its pursuit of Israel. They took Absalom, dumped him into a huge pit in the forest, and piled an immense mound of rocks over him. Meanwhile the whole army of Israel was in flight, each man making his own way home. While alive, Absalom had erected for himself a pillar in the Valley of the King, "because," he said, "I have no son to carry on my name." He inscribed the pillar with his own name. To this day it is called "The Absalom Memorial." Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, said, "Let me run to the king and bring him the good news that God has delivered him from his enemies." But Joab said, "You're not the one to deliver the good news today; some other day, maybe, but it's not ‘good news' today." (This was because the king's son was dead.) Then Joab ordered a Cushite, "You go. Tell the king what you've seen." "Yes sir," said the Cushite, and ran off. Ahimaaz son of Zadok kept at it, begging Joab, "What does it matter? Let me run, too, following the Cushite." Joab said, "Why all this ‘Run, run'? You'll get no thanks for it, I can tell you." "I don't care; let me run." "Okay," said Joab, "run." So Ahimaaz ran, taking the lower valley road, and passed the Cushite. David was sitting between the two gates. The sentry had gone up to the top of the gate on the wall and looked around. He saw a solitary runner. The sentry called down and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, it must be good news!" As the runner came closer, the sentry saw another runner and called down to the gate, "Another runner all by himself." And the king said, "This also must be good news." ²⁷ Then the sentry said, "I can see the first man now; he runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." "He's a good man," said the king. "He's bringing good news for sure." ²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "Peace!" Then he bowed deeply before the king, his face to the ground. "Blessed be your God ; he has handed over the men who rebelled against my master the king." ²⁹ The king asked, "But is the young man Absalom all right?" Ahimaaz said, "I saw a huge ruckus just as Joab was sending me off, but I don't know what it was about." ³⁰ The king said, "Step aside and stand over there." So he stepped aside.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ahimaaz: 2 Samuel 18:23, 2 Samuel 18:27-29, 2 Samuel 15:36, 2 Samuel 17:17

avenged him: Heb. judged him from the hand, etc. Psalms 7:6, Psalms 7:8, Psalms 7:9, Psalms 9:4, Psalms 9:16, Psalms 10:14, Psalms 10:18, Romans 12:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:54 - Send me Judges 11:36 - forasmuch 2 Samuel 4:8 - the Lord 2 Samuel 18:29 - Is the young man Absalom safe 2 Samuel 18:31 - the Lord 2 Samuel 22:48 - avengeth me 1 Chronicles 6:8 - Ahimaaz Proverbs 17:11 - General Jeremiah 51:31 - post

Cross-References

Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread."

Genesis 18:7
Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.

Genesis 18:9
The men said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He said, "In the tent."

Genesis 18:10
One of them said, "I'm coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.

Genesis 18:20
God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."

Genesis 18:22
The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God 's path, blocking his way.

Genesis 18:23
Abraham confronted him, "Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn't you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can't believe you'd do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn't the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?"

Genesis 18:27
Abraham came back, "Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?" He said, "I won't destroy it if there are forty-five."

Genesis 18:30
He said, "Master, don't be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?" "No, I won't do it if I find thirty."

Genesis 18:31
He pushed on, "I know I'm trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?" "I won't destroy it for twenty."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok,.... To Joab; for it seems he stayed with the army when he with Jonathan brought the message from Hushai to David:

let me now run, and bear the king tidings how that the Lord hath avenged him on his enemies; which he thought would be very acceptable to hear of as soon as possible; and to be a messenger with tidings of a victory, as it was honourable, so likewise profitable then as now; though perhaps Ahimaaz might have no respect to the reward, as indeed none could be expected, since the death of Absalom would be so disagreeable to the king; but was desirous of it, that the king might be acquainted with the event of the battle as soon as might be.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ahimaaz was a well-known runner 2 Samuel 18:27. Speed was a heroic virtue in those simple times (compare 2 Samuel 2:18). In Hezekiah’s reign 2 Chronicles 30:6, 2 Chronicles 30:10 we find an establishment of running post-men; and the same name (“runners”) is given Esther 3:13 to the Persian posts, though at that time they rode on mules and camels.

Bear tidings - The original word is used almost exclusively of bearing good tidings, and hence, is rendered in the Septuagint (though not always) εὐαγγίζεσθαι euangelizesthai 2 Samuel 4:10; 1 Samuel 31:9. In 2 Samuel 18:21, it is not “carry the good tidings,” but “tell,” simply “announce.”