2 Samuel 18:21

21 And Joab said to Cushi, Go thou, and tell to the king those things that thou hast seen. Cushi worshipped Joab, and ran forth (Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran off).

2 Samuel 18:21 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:21

Then said Joab to Cushi
The Ethiopian, or blackamoor; who either was an Ethiopian by birth and proselyted, or he was an Israelite of a black complexion, and therefore so called; and was judged a proper person by the general to carry such dismal news to the king, as he knew it would be. Some Jewish writers ^F1 take him to be the same with Cush the Benjaminite, in the title of the seventh psalm, ( Psalms 7:1 ) ; and that he is the same that told Joab he saw Absalom hanging in an oak, and declared that, if a thousand shekels of silver were offered him, he would not have put forth his hand against him, ( 2 Samuel 18:10-12 ) ; though some think this was one of the ten young men that waited on Joab, and by his orders slew Absalom; but it would have been dangerous for one of these to have carried the tidings, had he been known by David to have done it:

go tell the king what thou hast seen:
by which it should seem that he was present when Absalom was killed:

and Cushi bowed himself unto Joab;
in reverence to him as his general, and in thankfulness for sending him on this errand:

and ran;
as fast as he could.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Pirke Eliezer, c. 53.

2 Samuel 18:21 In-Context

19 And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, I shall run, and I shall tell to the king, that the Lord hath made doom to him of the hand of his enemies. (And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, I shall run, and I shall tell the king, that the Lord hath made judgement for him, that is, hath avenged him, upon his enemies.)

20 To whom Joab said, Thou shalt not be a messenger in this day, but thou shalt tell in another day; I will not that thou tell this today, for the son of the king is dead (I do not desire that thou tell this news today, for the king's son is dead).

21 And Joab said to Cushi, Go thou, and tell to the king those things that thou hast seen. Cushi worshipped Joab, and ran forth (Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran off).

22 And again Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab, What hindereth, if also I run after Cushi? And Joab said to him, What wilt thou run, my son? Come thou hither, thou shalt not be a bearer of good message (And Joab said to him, Why would thou run, my son? It is better to stay here, for thou shalt not be a bearer of good news).

23 The which answered, But what if I shall run? And Joab said to him, Run thou. Therefore Ahimaaz ran by the way of shortness, and speed, and passed Cushi.