2 Samuel 18:17-27

17 They took Absalom and cast him into a deep pit in the forest and ¹erected over him a very great heap of stones. And ²all Israel fled, each to his tent.

18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and ³set up for himself a pillar which is in ⁴the King's Valley, for he said, "⁵I have no son to preserve my name." So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

David Is Grief-stricken

19 Then ⁶Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the king news ⁷that the LORD has freed him from the hand of his enemies."

20 But Joab said to him, "You are not the man to carry news this day, but you shall carry news another day; however, you shall carry no news today because * the king's son is dead."

21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

22 Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once * more * to Joab, "But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite." And Joab said, "Why * would you run, my son, since ⁸you will have no reward for going?"

23 "But whatever happens," he said, "I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed up the Cushite.

24 Now ⁹David was sitting between the two gates; and ¹⁰the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running by himself.

25 The watchman called and told the king. And the king said, "If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth." And he came nearer and nearer.

26 Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, "Behold, another man running by himself." And the king said, "This one also is bringing good news."

27 The watchman said, "I think the running of the first one ¹¹is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "¹²This is a good man and comes with good news."

2 Samuel 18:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 18

In this chapter is an account of David's review of his army, preparing it for battle with Absalom, and those with him, 2Sa 18:1-5; and of the defeat and flight of the rebels, 2Sa 18:6-8; and of the death of Absalom, and the manner of it, and of his burial, 2Sa 18:9-18; and of the news of it brought to David by different persons, 2Sa 18:19-32; and of his great grief and sorrow on that account, 2Sa 18:33.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 21:20, 21; Joshua 7:26; Joshua 8:29
• 2. 2 Samuel 19:8; 2 Samuel 20:1, 22
• 3. 1 Samuel 15:12
• 4. Genesis 14:17
• 5. 2 Samuel 14:27
• 6. 2 Samuel 15:36
• 7. 2 Samuel 18:31
• 8. 2 Samuel 18:29
• 9. 2 Samuel 19:8
• 10. 2 Samuel 13:34; 2 Kings 9:17
• 11. 2 Kings 9:20
• 12. 1 Kings 1:42

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "the great"
• [b] Lit "for the sake of remembering"
• [c] Lit "vindicated"
• [d] Lit "see"