2 Samuel 18:21

2 Samuel 18:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.

Context of 2 Samuel 18:21

19Then 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.” 20But Joab told him, “You are not the man to carry news [to King David] today, but you shall carry news another day. On this day you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.” Then Joab said to the Cushite (Ethiopian), “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” And the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 22Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why should you run, my son, seeing you will have no messenger’s reward for going [because you have only bad news]?” 23“But whatever happens, Let me run.” So Joab said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain [of the Jordan River] and outran the Cushite.

2 Samuel 18:21 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹאָב֙ לַכּוּשִׁ֔י לֵ֛ךְ הַגֵּ֥ד לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֑יתָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ כוּשִׁ֛י לְיוֹאָ֖ב וַיָּרֹֽץ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• to Cushiכּוּשִׁיkûshîy · EthiopianH3569
• Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• what thou hast seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• bowedשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
• and ranרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Tell the king what thou hast seen - At this time the death of Absalom was not publicly known; but Joab had given Cushi private information of it. This Ahimaaz had not, for he could not tell the king whether Absalom were dead. To this Joab seems to refer, 2 Samuel 18:22; : "Thou hast no tidings ready.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Cushi - “The Cushite,” a foreign slave, perhaps of Joab‘s, whom he did not scruple to expose to David‘s anger. If, however, it is a name, it must be rendered “Haccushi.” In the title to Psalm 7, “Cush, the Benjamite,” cannot mean this Cushi, since the contents of the Psalm are not suitable to this occasion.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-33Verses 19-33 By directing David to give God thanks for his victory, Ahimaaz prepared him for the news of his son's death. The more our hearts are fixed and enlarged, in thanksgiving to God for our mercies, the better disposed we shall be to bear with patience the afflictions mixed with them. Some think David's wish arose from concern about Absalom's everlasting state; but he rather seems to have spoken without due thought. He is to be blamed for showing…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21A Cushite: Joab decided it was safer to send a foreigner to inform the king about Absalom's death. If David reacted badly, losing a foreigner was less significant than losing a priest's son.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:21

• Ahimaaz
• Cushi
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Joab
• Ahimaaz
• Charge
• Lift
• Pillar
• Rise
• Thrust
• Bible, the
• Cushi
• Cushite

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings