Lectionary Calendar
Monday, November 24th, 2025
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

2 Samuel 18:19

Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said to Joab, "May I run and take the news to King David? I'll tell him the Lord has destroyed the enemy for him."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ahimaaz;   Readings, Select;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   Joab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Gospel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz;   David;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Ahimaaz;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahimaaz ;   Zadok ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Ahimaaz;   David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ahim'a-Az;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ahimaaz;   Avenge;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ahimaaz;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Judgment, Divine;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”
Hebrew Names Version
Then said Achima`atz the son of Tzadok, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.
King James Version
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.
Lexham English Bible
Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the good news to the king that Yahweh has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies."
English Standard Version
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies."
New Century Version
Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, "Let me run and take the news to King David. I'll tell him the Lord has saved him from his enemies."
New English Translation
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."
Amplified Bible
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, said, "Let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has vindicated him by rescuing him from [the power of] his enemies."
New American Standard Bible
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has freed him from the hand of his enemies!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, I pray thee, let me runne, and beare the King tidings that the Lorde hath deliuered him out of the hande of his enemies.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and proclaim the good news to the king that Yahweh has judged to save him from the hand of his enemies."
Contemporary English Version
Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Joab, let me run and tell King David that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies."
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Achima‘atz the son of Tzadok said, "Let me run now and bring news to the king that Adonai has judged in his favor by releasing him from his enemies."
Darby Translation
And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me run, I pray, and carry the king the news that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.
George Lamsa Translation
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run and bring the good tidings to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.
Good News Translation
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, "Let me run to the king with the good news that the Lord has saved him from his enemies."
Literal Translation
And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Please let me run, and I will bear news to the king. For Jehovah has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ahimaas the sonne of Sadoc sayde: Let me runne now, and brynge the kynge worde, that the LORDE hath gotten him righte fro the hande of his enemies.
American Standard Version
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemies.
Bible in Basic English
Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me go and give the king news of how the Lord has done right in his cause against those who took up arms against him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayd Ahimaaz the sonne of Sadoc: Let me runne nowe and beare the king tydinges, how that the Lord hath iudged him quyte of the hande of his enemies.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok: 'Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.'
King James Version (1611)
Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, Let mee now runne, and beare the King tidings, how that the Lord hath auenged him of his enemies.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said, Let me run now and carry glad tidings to the king, for the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.
English Revised Version
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Achymaas, sone of Sadoch, seide, Y schal renne, and Y schal telle to the kyng, that the Lord hath maad doom to hym of the hond of hise enemyes.
Young's Literal Translation
And Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, `Let me run, I pray thee, and I bear the king tidings, for Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of his enemies;'
Update Bible Version
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and inform the king, how the LORD hath avenged himself of his enemies.
World English Bible
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.
New King James Version
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies."
New Living Translation
Then Zadok's son Ahimaaz said, "Let me run to the king with the good news that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies."
New Life Bible
Then Zadok's son Ahimaaz said, "Let me run and bring the king news that the Lord has saved him from those who hate him."
New Revised Standard
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the power of his enemies."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then, Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, Let me run, I pray thee, and carry tidings unto the king, - how that Yahweh hath vindicated him, at the hand of his enemies.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said: I will run and tell the king, that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies.
Revised Standard Version
Then said Ahi'ma-az the son of Zadok, "Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the power of his enemies."
THE MESSAGE
Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, said, "Let me run to the king and bring him the good news that God has delivered him from his enemies." But Joab said, "You're not the one to deliver the good news today; some other day, maybe, but it's not ‘good news' today." (This was because the king's son was dead.)
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has freed him from the hand of his enemies."

Contextual Overview

19 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said to Joab, "May I run and take the news to King David? I'll tell him the Lord has destroyed the enemy for him." 20 Joab answered Ahimaaz, "No, you will not carry the message today. You can do it some other time, but not today because it is the king's son who is dead." 21 Then Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Ethiopian bowed to Joab and ran to tell David. 22 But Ahimaaz son of Zadok begged Joab again, "No matter what happens, please let me also run after the Ethiopian!" Joab said, "Son, why do you want to carry the news? You will not get any reward for the news you bring." 23 Ahimaaz answered, "No matter what happens, I will run to David." Joab said to Ahimaaz, "All right, run to David!" Then Ahimaaz ran through Jordan Valley and passed the Ethiopian. 24 David was sitting between the two gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof over the gate walls and saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman shouted to tell King David. King David said, "If the man is alone, he is bringing news." The man came closer and closer to the city. 26 But then the watchman saw another man running. He called to the gatekeeper, "Look! Another man is running alone." The king said, "He is also bringing news." 27 The watchman said, "I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok." The king said, "Ahimaaz is a good man, he must be bringing good news." 28 Ahimaaz called to the king, "All is well!" Ahimaaz bowed with his face to the ground in front of the king and said, "Praise the Lord your God! The Lord has defeated the men who were against you, my lord and king."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ahimaaz: 2 Samuel 18:23, 2 Samuel 18:27-29, 2 Samuel 15:36, 2 Samuel 17:17

avenged him: Heb. judged him from the hand, etc. Psalms 7:6, Psalms 7:8, Psalms 7:9, Psalms 9:4, Psalms 9:16, Psalms 10:14, Psalms 10:18, Romans 12:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:54 - Send me Judges 11:36 - forasmuch 2 Samuel 4:8 - the Lord 2 Samuel 18:29 - Is the young man Absalom safe 2 Samuel 18:31 - the Lord 2 Samuel 22:48 - avengeth me 1 Chronicles 6:8 - Ahimaaz Proverbs 17:11 - General Jeremiah 51:31 - post

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw the men, he ran to them and bowed before them.
Genesis 18:4
I will bring some water to wash your feet. You can rest under the trees.
Genesis 18:5
I will get some food for you, and you can eat as much as you want. Then you can continue your journey." The three men said, "Do as you wish."
Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried to the tent. He said to Sarah, "Quickly, prepare enough flour for three loaves of bread."
Genesis 18:7
Then Abraham ran to his cattle. He took his best young calf and gave it to the servant there. He told the servant to quickly kill the calf and prepare it for food.
Genesis 18:9
Then the men said to Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?" Abraham said, "She is there, in the tent."
Genesis 18:10
Then one of them said, "I will come again in the spring. At that time your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening in the tent and heard these things.
Genesis 18:19
I have made a special agreement with him. I did this so that he would command his children and his descendants to live the way the Lord wants them to. I did this so that they would live right and be fair. Then I, the Lord , can give him what I promised."
Genesis 18:20
Then the Lord said, "I have heard many times that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are very evil.
Genesis 18:21
I will go and see if they are as bad as I have heard. Then I will know for sure."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok,.... To Joab; for it seems he stayed with the army when he with Jonathan brought the message from Hushai to David:

let me now run, and bear the king tidings how that the Lord hath avenged him on his enemies; which he thought would be very acceptable to hear of as soon as possible; and to be a messenger with tidings of a victory, as it was honourable, so likewise profitable then as now; though perhaps Ahimaaz might have no respect to the reward, as indeed none could be expected, since the death of Absalom would be so disagreeable to the king; but was desirous of it, that the king might be acquainted with the event of the battle as soon as might be.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ahimaaz was a well-known runner 2 Samuel 18:27. Speed was a heroic virtue in those simple times (compare 2 Samuel 2:18). In Hezekiah’s reign 2 Chronicles 30:6, 2 Chronicles 30:10 we find an establishment of running post-men; and the same name (“runners”) is given Esther 3:13 to the Persian posts, though at that time they rode on mules and camels.

Bear tidings - The original word is used almost exclusively of bearing good tidings, and hence, is rendered in the Septuagint (though not always) εὐαγγίζεσθαι euangelizesthai 2 Samuel 4:10; 1 Samuel 31:9. In 2 Samuel 18:21, it is not “carry the good tidings,” but “tell,” simply “announce.”


 
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