Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

2 Samuel 18:27

And the watchman said, "I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahi'ma-az the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good tidings."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ahimaaz;   Cushi;   Readings, Select;   Thompson Chain Reference - Good;   Tidings, Good;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Watchmen;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Posts;   Watchmen;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Gospel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Watches;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Cushite;   David;   Samuel, Books of;   Zadok;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Ahimaaz;   David;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz ;   Cushi ;   Zadok ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Ahimaaz;   David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ahim'a-Az;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cushi;   Cushite;   Games;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ahimaaz;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The watchman said, “The way the first man runs looks to me like the way Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs.”
Hebrew Names Version
The watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Achima`atz the son of Tzadok. The king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news.
King James Version
And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
Lexham English Bible
The sentinel said, "I am seeing that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zakok." The king said, "He is a good man; he will come, for good news."
English Standard Version
The watchman said, "I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man and comes with good news."
New Century Version
The watchman said, "I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, "Ahimaaz is a good man. He must be bringing good news!"
New English Translation
The watchman said, "It appears to me that the first runner is Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man, and he comes with good news."
Amplified Bible
The lookout said, "I think the man in front runs like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man and is coming with good news."
New American Standard Bible
The watchman said, "I think the running form of the first one is like the running form of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "This is a good man, and he is coming with good news."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the formost is like the running of Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok. Then the King said, He is a good man, & commeth wt good tidings.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the watchman said, "I see that the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "This is a good man and comes with good news."
Contemporary English Version
The soldier on the roof shouted, "The first one runs just like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." This time David said, "He's a good man. He must have some good news."
Complete Jewish Bible
The watchman said, "The first one runs like Achima‘atz the son of Tzadok." The king said, "He's a good man, he comes with good news."
Darby Translation
And the watchman said, I see the running of the foremost like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man; and comes with good news.
Easy-to-Read Version
The watchman said, "I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, "Ahimaaz is a good man, he must be bringing good news."
George Lamsa Translation
Moreover the watchman said, I see the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said. He is a good man and comes with good tidings.
Good News Translation
The lookout said, "I can see that the first man runs like Ahimaaz." "He's a good man," the king said, "and he is bringing good news."
Literal Translation
And the watchman said, I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, This is a good man and he comes with good news.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The watchman sayde: I se the rennynge of the first as it were the rennynge of Ahimaas the sonne of Sadoc. And the kynge sayde: He is a good man, and bryngeth good tidinges.
American Standard Version
And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
Bible in Basic English
And the watchman said, It seems to me that the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and his news will be good.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the watchman sayde: Me thinketh the running of the formost, is lyke the running of Ahimaaz the sonne of Sadoc. The king sayde: He is a good man, and commeth with good tidinges.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the watchman said: 'I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.' And the king said: 'He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.'
King James Version (1611)
And the watchman said, Mee thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok. And the King said, Hee is a good man, and commeth with good tidings.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the watchman said, I see the running of the first as the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc. And the king said, He is a good man, and will come to report glad tidings.
English Revised Version
And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
Berean Standard Bible
The watchman said, "The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." "This is a good man," said the king. "He comes with good news."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli the spiere seide, Y biholde the rennyng of the formere, as the rennyng of Achymaas, sone of Sadoch. And the kyng seide, He is a good man, and he cometh bryngynge a good message.
Young's Literal Translation
And the watchman saith, `I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.' And the king saith, `This [is] a good man, and with good tidings he cometh.'
Update Bible Version
And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and comes with good tidings.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He [is] a good man, and cometh with good news.
World English Bible
The watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. The king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news.
New King James Version
So the watchman said, "I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."
New Living Translation
"The first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok," the watchman said. "He is a good man and comes with good news," the king replied.
New Life Bible
And the man who kept watch said, "I think the man in front runs like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."
New Revised Standard
The sentinel said, "I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good tidings."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said the watchman, It seemeth, to me, that, the running of the foremost, is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok. And the king said, A good man, is he, and, with good tidings, he cometh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the watchman said: The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc. And the king said: He is a good man: and cometh with good news.
THE MESSAGE
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."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The watchman said, "I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "This is a good man and comes with good news."

Contextual Overview

19 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." 20 And Jo'ab said to him, "You are not to carry tidings today; you may carry tidings another day, but today you shall carry no tidings, because the king's son is dead." 21 Then Jo'ab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed before Jo'ab, and ran. 22 Then Ahi'ma-az the son of Zadok said again to Jo'ab, "Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite." And Jo'ab said, "Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the tidings?" 23 "Come what may," he said, "I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahi'ma-az ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite. 24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 And the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth." And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gate and said, "See, another man running alone!" The king said, "He also brings tidings." 27 And the watchman said, "I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahi'ma-az the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good tidings." 28 Then Ahi'ma-az cried out to the king, "All is well." And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth, and said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

thinketh: Heb. I see, 2 Kings 9:20

He is a good: 1 Kings 1:42, Proverbs 25:13, Proverbs 25:25, Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:54 - Send me 2 Samuel 18:19 - Ahimaaz 2 Samuel 18:20 - because 1 Chronicles 6:8 - Ahimaaz Acts 11:24 - he was Romans 5:7 - a good

Cross-References

Genesis 2:7
then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Genesis 18:1
And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
Genesis 18:2
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the earth,
Genesis 18:6
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."
Genesis 18:8
Then he took curds, and milk, and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
Genesis 18:30
Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
Genesis 18:32
Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."
Ezra 9:6
saying: "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to thee, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.
Job 4:19
how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the watchman said, me thinketh,.... Or, "I see" b; I perceive, so it appears to me:

that the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok; who it seems was well known, and famous for his manner of running and swiftness in it, having been employed in carrying expresses before from Jerusalem to David, and his army, wheresoever they were; and some of these persons thus employed were very swift; we read c of one that was a king's messenger, that went from Jerusalem to Tyre, on the first of Elul, or August, in a night and a day; which, according to Bunting d was an hundred miles: this watchman must be one of David's sentinels, who was well acquainted with the people about him:

and the king said, he [is] a good man, and cometh with good tidings; he knew he was a man of courage, and therefore was not one that fled, but must be a messenger; and that he was well affected to him, and would never be the messenger of evil tidings to him.

b אני ראה εγω ορω, Sept. "ego videns", Montanus; "video", Tigurine version. c T. Hieros. Taanioth, fol. 68. 3. d Travels, p. 200.


 
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