Shmuel Bais 18:29

29 And HaMelech said, Is the na’ar Avshalom shalom? And Achima’atz answered, When Yoav sent eved HaMelech, avdecha, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

Shmuel Bais 18:29 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:29

And the king said, is the young man Absalom safe?
&c.] Or, is there "peace" ^F6 to him? you say there is peace, and that prosperity and success have attended my army; but what peace has Absalom? is he well, and in safety? David seemed more concerned for him than for his army and the success of it; and even suggests as if it was nothing if Absalom was not safe, so great were his affections towards him:

and Ahimaaz answered, when Joab sent the king's servant;
which was Cushi, the first messenger, whose office perhaps it was to be one of the king's messengers, and therefore called his servant:

and [me] thy servant:
Ahimaaz himself who was sent after the other:

I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what [it was];
he perceived that the tidings of the death of Absalom would be disagreeable to the king, and therefore concealed it from him; and though a good man, he cannot be excused from lying, for certainly he knew that Absalom was dead, as appears from ( 2 Samuel 18:19 2 Samuel 18:20 ) ; though indeed what he said might be true, that after Joab had sent him and Cushi, as the Targum paraphrases it, he saw a company of people gathered together in a tumultuous manner, the meaning of which he knew not; but then this was no other than an evasion.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (renl Mwlv) "estne pax puero?" V. L. "pax puero", Pagninus, Montanus.

Shmuel Bais 18:29 In-Context

27 And the tzofeh (watchman) said, I see the running of the foremost is like the running of Achima’atz Ben Tzadok. And HaMelech said, He is an ish tov, and cometh with besorah tovah (good news) [see 2Sm 18:10].

28 And Achima’atz called, and said unto HaMelech, Shalom. And he fell down to ha’aretz upon his face before HaMelech, and said, Baruch Hashem Eloheicha, which hath delivered up the anashim that lifted up their yad against adoni HaMelech.

29 And HaMelech said, Is the na’ar Avshalom shalom? And Achima’atz answered, When Yoav sent eved HaMelech, avdecha, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

30 And HaMelech said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

31 And, hinei, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Yitbaser (be informed of news), adoni HaMelech; for Hashem hath in justice vindicated thee this day from the yad of all them that rose up against thee.