2 Samuel 18:22
in 2 Samuel 18Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?
KJV
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
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This verse in 2 Samuel 18
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
the LORD has avenged him of his enemies
on 2 Samuel 18:19-23
Ahimaaz asks to tell the king “the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies”, but Joab refuses and sends a Cushite. Ahimaaz presses a second time, is allowed to run, and outruns the Cushite. Albert Barnes takes the Cushite to be a foreign slave.
This site's exposition
you will not receive a reward
Matthew Henry weighs two motives for Ahimaaz's persistence. He may have been proud of his speed, or he may have meant to prepare David gently before the Cushite's plain report arrived. Joab addresses him as a son, which softens the refusal.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab,....
No great praise for a priest to be swift of foot, yet perhaps Ahimaaz was proud of it. (2.) Perhaps it was in prudence and tenderness to the king that he desired it. He knew he could get before Cushi, and therefore was willing to prepare the king, by a vague and general report, for the plain truth which Cushi was ordered to tell him.
The words behind it
27 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨סֶף | vaiyosef | and he repeated | H3254 → | 212 times |
| ע֜וֹד | od | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
| אֲחִימַ֤עַץ | ʾachimaatz | Ahimaaz | H290 → | 15 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| צָדוֹק֙ | tzadok | Zadok | H6659 → | 53 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יוֹאָ֔ב | yoav | Joab | H3097 → | 144 times |
| וִ֣יהִי | vihi | and may it be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מָ֔ה | mah | whatever | H4100 → | 752 times |
| אָרֻֽצָה־ | ʾarutzah- | let me run | H7323 → | 103 times |
| נָּ֥א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| גַם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אָ֖נִי | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֣י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| הַכּוּשִׁ֑י | hakushi | the Cushite | H3569 → | 26 times |
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יוֹאָ֗ב | yoav | Joab | H3097 → | 144 times |
| לָֽמָּה־ | lamah- | <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| זֶּ֞ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| אַתָּ֥ה | ʾatah | [are] you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| רָץ֙ | ratz | running | H7323 → | 103 times |
| בְּנִ֔י | beni | O son my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וּלְכָ֖ה | ulekhah | and [will belong] to <the> you | ||
| אֵין־ | ʾein- | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| בְּשׂוֹרָ֥ה | besorah | good news | H1309 → | 6 times |
| מֹצֵֽאת׃ | motzet | finding | H4672 → | 455 times |
וַיֹּ֨סֶףand he repeated
vaiyosefH3254 →212 times
ע֜וֹדagain
odH5750 →490 times
אֲחִימַ֤עַץAhimaaz
ʾachimaatzH290 →15 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
צָדוֹק֙Zadok
tzadokH6659 →53 times
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יוֹאָ֔בJoab
yoavH3097 →144 times
וִ֣יהִיand may it be
vihiH1961 →3559 times
מָ֔הwhatever
mahH4100 →752 times
אָרֻֽצָה־let me run
ʾarutzah-H7323 →103 times
נָּ֥אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
גַם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
אָ֖נִיI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
אַחֲרֵ֣יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
הַכּוּשִׁ֑יthe Cushite
hakushiH3569 →26 times
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יוֹאָ֗בJoab
yoavH3097 →144 times
לָֽמָּה־<to> why?
lamah-H4100 →752 times
זֶּ֞הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
אַתָּ֥ה[are] you
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
רָץ֙running
ratzH7323 →103 times
בְּנִ֔יO son my
beniH1121 →4930 times
וּלְכָ֖הand [will belong] to <the> you
ulekhah
אֵין־not
ʾein-H369 →789 times
בְּשׂוֹרָ֥הgood news
besorahH1309 →6 times
מֹצֵֽאת׃finding
motzetH4672 →455 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 1:28Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Romans 1:21
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
- Jeremiah 9:6
You dwell in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the LORD.
- Romans 1:24
Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
Through
Ephesians 5:4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:8
But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
- Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- Colossians 3:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.