²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand?^(A) Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan.^(B) You and Abiathar return with your two sons.

¹⁷ Zadok^(A) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar^(B) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;^(C)

³⁵ The king put Benaiah^(A) son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok^(B) the priest.

⁴⁴ The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule,

³⁴ There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint^(A) him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet^(B) and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

⁸ But Zadok^(A) the priest, Benaiah^(B) son of Jehoiada, Nathan^(C) the prophet, Shimei^(D) and Rei and David’s special guard^(E) did not join Adonijah.

²⁵ Sheva was secretary; Zadok^(A) and Abiathar were priests;

²⁷ The watchman said, “It seems to me that the first one runs like^(A) Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”

“He’s a good man,” the king said. “He comes with good news.”

²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.”

²⁹ The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

Ahimaaz answered, “I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.”

²² Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, “Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.”

But Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.”