In the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, we saw that Eli and his sons died on the same day. The same happened to Saul and his sons. David mourned for Absalom and recalled Amnon being killed by his brother. With these stories and the criticism of all four leaders and their sons, we have now reached a conclusion.
Ahimaaz was apparently a fast runner and a trusted messenger for David and his army. He asked Joab if he could be the one to deliver the news to David. Probably, he was overjoyed with the victory and assumed that David would be happy to hear the news.
Joab knew how much David loved his son and wanted to send a different messenger.
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.”
Joab said to him, “You are not to carry tidings today; you may carry tidings another day, but today you shall not do so because the king’s son is dead.”
Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab and ran. (2 Samuel 18:19-21).
Ahimaaz was not to be denied, and Joab finally relented and allowed him to bring the message to David. Even though he had a later start than the Cushite, he was first to arrive at David’s camp.
David at the Gate
The city gate was like the town hall in our modern cities. It was not just an entrance, but also a place where business took place. David was sitting at the gate, waiting for news when Ahimaaz arrived.
A messenger would call out the news to a sentinel on the parapet of the walled city. The sentinel would then relay the message to the person in charge, who at this time was David.
Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well!” He prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king” (2 Samuel 18:28).
David was worried about his son, so he asked an important question. Ahimaaz didn’t know the answer. He simply said that, in today’s terms, the fog of war kept him from knowing what happened to Absalom.
The Cushite was right on the heels of Ahimaaz. He gave David the answer that he dreaded to hear.
Then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you.”
The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to do you harm be like that young man” (2 Samuel 18:31-32).
O Absalom, my son, my son!
David’s grief was deep. In a short time, he cried out “my son, my son” over and over, revealing the deep pain and agony of a parent who has lost a child.
The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept, and as he went he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33).
David and Abraham
The story of Absalom’s death echoes the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.
- Both Absalom and the ram are trapped in a thicket.
- While Abraham is told not to harm his son, Joab’s soldier also refuses to harm the king’s son.
- In the end, Abraham sacrifices the ram instead of Isaac.
- It takes some time for David to reveal this parallel, but he eventually says, “Would that I had died in place of you, O Absalom, my son.”
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 