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

19Zadok's son Ahimaaz said to Joab, ‘Let me run to give the king the good news. I will tell him that the Lord has saved him from the power of his enemies.’ 20Joab said, ‘No, it will not be good news for the king. His son is dead. You must not take this news today. Another day there will be good news for you to take to him, but not today.’ Then Joab spoke to a servant who came from Ethiopia, ‘Go now to the king. Tell him what you have seen.’ The man bent down in front of Joab and then he ran off with the message. 22Zadok's son Ahimaaz spoke to Joab again. He said, ‘I am not afraid of what may happen to me. Please let me run after the Ethiopian man.’ But Joab replied, ‘Why do you want to go as well? The king will not give you any gift for this news.’ 23Ahimaaz said, ‘But I do want to go, whatever happens.’ So Joab said, ‘Run after him, then!’ So Ahimaaz ran fast along a road in the Jordan Valley. He arrived near Mahanaim before the Ethiopian man.

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