2 Samuel 18:29

29 And the king saith, `Peace to the youth -- to Absalom?' And Ahimaaz saith, `I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even thy servant [by] Joab, and I have not known what [it is].'

2 Samuel 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.

2 Samuel 18:29 In-Context

27 And the watchman saith, `I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.' And the king saith, `This [is] a good man, and with good tidings he cometh.'

28 And Ahimaaz calleth and saith unto the king, `Peace;' and he boweth himself to the king, on his face, to the earth, and saith, `Blessed [is] Jehovah thy God who hath shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.'

29 And the king saith, `Peace to the youth -- to Absalom?' And Ahimaaz saith, `I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even thy servant [by] Joab, and I have not known what [it is].'

30 And the king saith, `Turn round, station thyself here;' and he turneth round and standeth still.

31 And lo, the Cushite hath come, and the Cushite saith, `Let tidings be proclaimed, my lord, O king; for Jehovah hath delivered thee to-day out of the hand of all those rising up against thee.'