2 Samuel 18:32

32 "Is the young man Absalom alright?" the king asked. The Sudanese messenger answered, "May your enemies and all who turned against you be like that young man!"

2 Samuel 18:32 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:32

And the king said unto Cushi, is the young man Absalom safe?
&c.] The same question that was put to Ahimaaz, ( 2 Samuel 18:29 ) ; which shows what lay nearest his heart, and was uppermost in his mind,

and Cushi answered, the enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise
against thee to do [thee] hurt, be as [that] young man [is],
which was tacitly saying he was dead, and so David understood it; and he expressed it in such a manner, that David could not be displeased with the messenger; though the message was grievous to him.

2 Samuel 18:32 In-Context

30 "Step aside, and stand here," the king said. He stepped aside and stood there.

31 Then the Sudanese messenger came. "Good news for Your Majesty!" he said. "Today the LORD has freed you from all who turned against you."

32 "Is the young man Absalom alright?" the king asked. The Sudanese messenger answered, "May your enemies and all who turned against you be like that young man!"

33 The king was shaken [by the news]. He went to the room above the gate and cried. "My son Absalom!" he said as he went. "My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!"