2 Samuel 18:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king 's servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was."

NIV: The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was."

NASB: But the king said, 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And Ahimaaz answered, 'When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I did not know what it was.'

CSB: The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom all right?" Ahimaaz replied, "When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a big disturbance, but I don’t know what it was."

NLT: What about young Absalom?' the king demanded. 'Is he all right?' Ahimaaz replied, 'When Joab told me to come, there was a lot of commotion. But I didn’t know what was happening.'

KJV: And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

NKJV: The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.”

Absalom spent four years building a following (2 Samuel 15:1–7) and a much shorter time building a large army (2 Samuel 17:11–14). He meets David's smaller fighting force in the forest of Ephraim. Thousands die in one day, most because of the dangerous terrain (2 Samuel 18:6–8). By God's providence, Absalom's gets his head stuck in tree branches. Joab finds him and kills him, ending the battle and the rebellion (2 Samuel 18:9–16).

Ahimaaz had a critical role in the win. He and his friend Jonathan brought David the warning that Absalom was coming after him and his servants; they had to cross the Jordan to safety. David and his people were able to fight because of Ahimaaz (2 Samuel 17:15–22).

Ahimaaz had brought unpleasant—but essential—intelligence. Now, he wants to bring good news. He begs Joab to let him run to David with the message that the war is over. Joab refuses. He knows David will not reward the man who brings such news and sends another man, a Cushite, instead. Ahimaaz presses, and Joab relents. Ahimaaz outruns the Cushite and gets to David first (2 Samuel 18:19–23).

Excitedly, Ahimaaz bows to David and exclaims: God has delivered David! The war is over (2 Samuel 18:28). But David doesn't react like a victorious king. His one question is about the life of his son. Ahimaaz seems to finally understand what Joab was trying to tell him. David's primary concern isn't the battle or the throne: it's Absalom. So Ahimaaz stumbles into dishonesty. David tells him to stand aside. And they both wait for the Cushite to come with the real message (2 Samuel 18:30).

Second Samuel 18:19–30 follows along as two men race to tell David that his son is dead. Joab killed Absalom after the battle (2 Samuel 18:14–15). Ahimaaz, son of the priest Zadok, wants to deliver the news. Joab seems wary of how David will respond and so sends a Cushite messenger. Joab eventually lets Ahimaaz go as well, and he and the Cushite race one another to tell David. The king will react with despair (2 Samuel 19:31–33) and earn a scolding from Joab (2 Samuel 19:1–8).

In 2 Samuel 18, the rebellion ends. Absalom has built a following and revolted against David (2 Samuel 15; 17). His army is no match for David's seasoned warriors or the dangerous terrain on which the battle is fought. Absalom is pursued and killed despite David's order that he be spared. When David hears of this, he falls into grief. Joab tells David to stop disrespecting his people's sacrifice (2 Samuel 19:1–8). David leads his people back to Jerusalem and starts to repair the broken kingdom (2 Samuel 19:9–43).

Second Samuel 18 marks the fulfillment of God's curses against David. The violence and betrayal God promised David (2 Samuel 12:10–12) because of his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11) culminate in Absalom's attempt to kill his father and take the throne (2 Samuel 15—17). David's generals make quick work of Absalom's army. Joab kills Absalom against David's direct order. David will attempt to repair the fractured kingdom, starting with forgiving his enemies (2 Samuel 19:9–43). The rift never fully heals, however, and the nation splits permanently after Solomon dies (2 Chronicles 10).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.