2 Samuel 18:19-33

International Standard Version

David Learns of Absalom’s Death

¹⁹ Zadok’s son Ahimaaz told Joab, “Let me run over to King David and take him the news. I’ll mention that the Lord has delivered him from his enemies.”

²⁰ But Joab answered Ahimaaz, “You’re not the man to deliver news today. Do it any other time, but not today, because the king’s son is dead.” ²¹ So Joab ordered a man from Ethiopia,^[a] “Go tell the king what you’ve seen.” So the Ethiopian^[b] saluted^[c] Joab and then ran to tell David.

²² “Please,” Zadok’s son Ahimaaz continued, “No matter what happens, let me follow the Ethiopian!”

Joab asked him, “Why this request^[d] to run, my son? There’s no reward in it for you.”

²³ “No matter what, I’m running,” Ahimaaz replied.^[e]

So Joab told Ahimaaz, “Run!” And Ahimaaz ran, taking the Jordan Valley road, passing the Ethiopian.

²⁴ Meanwhile, David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman was up on the roof of the gateway near the walls, looking around, and there was a man running by himself! ²⁵ So the watchman^[f] called out his news to the king.

The king responded, “If he’s alone, he’s bringing some news to report.”^[g] As the man continued to draw near and approach the palace,^{[h] 26} the watchman observed another man running. So he called out to the gatekeeper, “There’s another^[i] man running by himself!”

The king replied, “He’s also bringing some news to report!”

²⁷ Then the watchman observed, “It looks to me that the runner out in front is running like Zadok’s son Ahimaaz!”

The king replied, “This is a good man bearing good news!”

²⁸ “Everything’s fine!”^[j] Ahimaaz announced to the king. He bowed low with his face to the ground^[k] before the king and said, “Praise be to the Lord your God! He has handed over the men who rebelled against your majesty the king.”

²⁹ “Are things fine^[l] with respect to the young man Absalom?” the king asked.

Ahimaaz answered, “I saw a lot of confusion about the time Joab was getting ready to send the king’s courier and me, your servant, but I’m not sure what was going on.”^[m]

³⁰ The king replied, “Stand here at attention and wait.” So he stepped to the side and stood there waiting.

³¹ Just then the Ethiopian arrived. He^[n] reported, “Good news, your majesty the king! The Lord has delivered you from the control of everyone who rebelled against you!”

³² The king asked the Ethiopian, “Is the young man safe?”

The Ethiopian answered, “May the enemies of your majesty the king—including everyone who rebels and tries to harm you—become like that young man….”

David Mourns for Absalom

^33 [o]Deeply shaken, the king went up to the chamber overlooking the city gate, weeping bitterly and crying out as he went along, “My son Absalom! My son! My son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom my son, my son!”