2 Samuel 18:25

25 The watchman cried out and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, he has good news to tell."As he ran along and came close,

2 Samuel 18:25 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:25

And the watchman cried and told the king
Called with a loud voice from the roof of the watchtower to the king, sitting between the gates, and informed him what he saw:

and the king said, if he [be] alone [there is] tidings in his mouth;
for if the army was routed and fled, and were pursued, there would be more in company, or several running one after another; but being but one, it was highly improbable that he was sent express:

and he came apace, and drew near;
which was another sign of his being a messenger, the haste he made towards the city.

2 Samuel 18:25 In-Context

23 "I don't care - whatever happens, I want to run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Achima'atz ran by the road through the desert flats and outran the Ethiopian.

24 David was sitting between the two gates. A watchman went up to the roof of the gate and out onto the wall, raised his eyes, looked, and saw there a man running by himself.

25 The watchman cried out and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, he has good news to tell."As he ran along and came close,

26 the watchman saw another man running and called to the gatekeeper, "There's another man running by himself."The king said, "He too must have good news."

27 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."