2 Samuel 18 Run Ahimaaz, Run

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
2 Samuel 18:19 Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.”

20 “You are not the one to take the news today,” Joab told him. “You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”

21 Then Joab said to a Cu####e, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cu####e bowed down before Joab and ran off.

22 Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, “Come what may, please let me run behind the Cu####e.”

But Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.”

23 He said, “Come what may, I want to run.”

So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain[f] and outran the Cu####e.

24 While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out to the king and reported it.

The king said, “If he is alone, he must have good news.” And the runner came closer and closer.

26 Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper, “Look, another man running alone!”

The king said, “He must be bringing good news, too.”

27 The watchman said, “It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”

“He’s a good man,” the king said. “He comes with good news.”

28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.”

29 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.”

30 The king said, “Stand aside and wait here.” So he stepped aside and stood there.

31 Then the Cu####e arrived and said, “My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you.”

32 The king asked the Cu####e, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

The Cu####e replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”

33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”[g]​

f. 2 Samuel 18:23 That is, the plain of the Jordan
g. 2 Samuel 18:33 In Hebrew texts this verse (18:33) is numbered 19:1.

Way back then, there were no cell phones, or satellite phones, no land phones; or telegraph for that matter. They didn't use smoke signals. They ran... runners were sent. Can you imagine.... your only job is to run.... all day long Joab has been sending out runners all along the battle line.... Ahimaaz kept popping up... ready for duty.... wanna run... gotta run... need to run.... it's boring here... I need to get out of here... need to get in the fresh air.... need to run... wanna run... pick me.... pick me.... and yet Joab gave this last job to that Cu####e. Ahimaaz jumped right up and told Joab "“Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.”

Joab must have liked Ahimaaz, or at least he didn't dislike him. Joab asked Ahimaaz why he wanted to go so bad. In verse 23 puts his desire quite clearly.... “Come what may, I want to run.” I figure Joab let him go because Ahimaaz was driving Joab crazy. You know.... tagging along behind him so he's the next choice.... popping in his line of sight so he's the next choice... anyway... Joab let him go.

This kid Ahimaaz could run. He outran the Cu####e. He rushed up to David.... out of breath.... "good news"... wait I don't have all the news... I just wanted to run... I just wanted to tell the king of the victory. Bad news? I don't have bad news.

By the time the Cu####e arrived, David was probably almost out of his mind for news of Absalom. The Cu####e had to deliver the worst news. David didn't take the news well.

This is from Bible.org.

Joab knows his king well. He knows that David will not take the news of Absalom's death well. That is why he is reluctant to send Ahimaaz to David with the news of his death. That is also why Ahimaaz hedges his answer to David's specific question about Absalom's well-being. And so it is that when the triumphant soldiers return to Mahanaim, they do not find their king at the gate to greet them and to express his appreciation. Instead, they learn that David is grieving over the death of his son. Now, instead of feeling proud of what they have done, David's men feel ashamed.

Well David has lost three sons. Absalom killed Amnon for raping Tamar. Bathsheba's baby died. Now Absalom is dead. What calamity.

:coffee:
 
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