David Hears of Absalom’s Death
September 18, 2022
Commentary
Ahimaaz wants to run and tell David that the Lord has delivered him from his enemies and he tells Joab (v. 19). Joab tells Ahimaaz it is best not to do it today because the king’s son is dead (v. 20). Soon a man from Ethiopia was standing there and Joab told him, “Go and tell the king what you have seen,” and the man got up and started running (v. 21). Ahimaaz still wanted to go so he asked Joab again if he could go along with the Ethiopian and reluctantly he told him to go ahead (vv. 22-23). He takes the road through the Jordan valley and outran the Ethiopian.
Meanwhile David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the town while one of his soldiers was watching from the roof of the gate-tower and saw a man running toward the town, so shouted the news to the king (v. 24). David answered, “If he is alone, he must have some good news” (v. 25). As the runner was getting closer the soldier saw another runner coming in the distance and shouted down to David (v. 26). The watchman recognized that the first man was Ahimaaz and at that point Ahimaaz shouted to David that the enemy has given victory over your enemies (vv. 27-28). “Is my son alright?” David asked and Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent me, I saw a noisy crowd. But I don’t know what it was all about” (v. 29).
Then, David told him to step aside and wait as the man from Ethiopia arrived and said, “I have good news for my lord the king. The Lord has rescued you from all your enemies” (vv. 30-31)! Is my son Absalom alright?” David asked (v. 32). The Ethiopian replied that he wished all of David’s enemies would end up like him. David started trembling and went up to the room above the city gate to cry (v. 33). As he went he kept saying, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Application
It is never easy to see our adult children have to suffer but best for me to let the Lord control them.
2 Samuel 18:19– 33 (NET)
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.” 20 But Joab said to him, “You will not be a bearer of good news today. You will bear good news some other day, but not today, for the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off. 22 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again spoke to Joab, “Whatever happens, let me go after the Cushite.” But Joab said, “Why is it that you want to go, my son? You have no good news that will bring you a reward.” 23 But he said, “Whatever happens, I want to go!” So Joab said to him, “Then go!” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite.
24 Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself. 25 So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.” The runner came ever closer.
26 Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called out to the gatekeeper, “There is another man running by himself.” The king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “It appears to me that the first runner is Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and he comes with good news.”
28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Greetings!” He bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and said, “May the Lord your God be praised because he has defeated the men who opposed my lord the king!”
29 The king replied, “How is the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz replied, “I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was all about.” 30 The king said, “Turn aside and take your place here.” So he turned aside and waited.
31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!” 32 The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you be like that young man!”
33 (19:1) The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!”