2 Samuel 18:32

32 The king said to the Cushite, "[Is] it peace for the young man Absalom?" Then the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you {to harm you} be like the 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 Then the king said, "Turn aside, take your place here," so he turned aside and waited.

31 Suddenly the Cushite arrived and said, "May my lord the king receive the good news, for Yahweh has vindicated you today from the power of all who stood up against you."

32 The king said to the Cushite, "[Is] it peace for the young man Absalom?" Then the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you {to harm you} be like the young man!"

33 The king was upset, and he went up to the upper room of the gate and wept. He said as he went, "My son, Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom. {If only} I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "for evil"