2 Samuel 18:29
New International Version
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.”

New Living Translation
“What about young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?” Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab told me to come, there was a lot of commotion. But I didn’t know what was happening.”

English Standard Version
And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.”

Berean Standard Bible
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”

King James Bible
And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

New King James Version
The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.

New American Standard Bible
But the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I did not know what it was.

NASB 1995
The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was.”

NASB 1977
And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king said, “Is there peace with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz said, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was.”

Amplified Bible
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great turmoil, but I do not know what it was about.”

Christian Standard Bible
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right? ” Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a big disturbance, but I don’t know what it was.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a big disturbance, but I don’t know what it was.”

American Standard Version
And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The King said to him: “Is the boy Abishlum well?” Akhimaz said to him: “I saw the great army that surrounded Yuab the Servant of my Lord the King and your Servant. I did not know what was happening!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said, Is the young man Abessalom safe? and Achimaas said, I saw a great multitude at the time of Joab's sending the king's servant and thy servant, and I knew not what was there.

Contemporary English Version
"Is my son Absalom all right?" David asked. Ahimaaz said, "When Joab sent your personal servant and me, I saw a noisy crowd. But I don't know what it was all about."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Achimaas said: I saw a great tumult, O king, when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant: I know nothing else.

English Revised Version
And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Is the young man Absalom alright?" the king asked. Ahimaaz answered, "I saw a lot of confusion when Joab sent me away, but I didn't know what it meant."

Good News Translation
"Is the young man Absalom all right?" the king asked. Ahimaaz answered, "Sir, when your officer Joab sent me, I saw a great commotion, but I couldn't tell what it was."

International Standard Version
"Are things fine with respect to the young man Absalom?" the king asked. Ahimaaz answered, "I saw a lot of confusion about the time Joab was getting ready to send the king's courier and me, your servant, but I'm not sure what was going on."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king said: 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And Ahimaaz answered: 'When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.'

Literal Standard Version
And the king says, “Peace to the youth—for Absalom?” And Ahimaaz says, “I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even your servant [by] Joab, and I have not known what [it is].”

Majority Standard Bible
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”

New American Bible
But the king asked, “Is young Absalom safe?” And Ahimaaz replied, “I saw a great disturbance when the king’s servant Joab sent your servant on, but I do not know what it was.”

NET Bible
The king replied, "How is the young man Absalom?" Ahimaaz replied, "I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king's servant and me, your servant, but I don't know what it was all about."

New Revised Standard Version
The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”

New Heart English Bible
The king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab, the king�s servant, sent your servant off, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

World English Bible
The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith, 'Peace to the youth -- to Absalom?' And Ahimaaz saith, 'I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even thy servant by Joab, and I have not known what it is.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Mourns for Absalom
28Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.” 29The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.” 30“Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 18:22
Ahimaaz 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?"

2 Samuel 18:30
"Move aside," said the king, "and stand here." So he stepped aside.

2 Samuel 18:32
The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom all right?" And the Cushite replied, "May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you."

2 Samuel 20:9
"Are you well, my brother?" Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.

2 Kings 4:26
Please run out now to meet her and ask, 'Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?'" And she answered, "Everything is all right."


Treasury of Scripture

And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

2 Samuel 18:19,20,22
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…

Jump to Previous
Absalom Ab'salom Ahimaaz Ahi'ma-Az Confusion Great Is' Joab Jo'ab King's Multitude Outcry Peace Safe Sending Servant Tumult Young Youth
Jump to Next
Absalom Ab'salom Ahimaaz Ahi'ma-Az Confusion Great Is' Joab Jo'ab King's Multitude Outcry Peace Safe Sending Servant Tumult Young Youth
2 Samuel 18
1. David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6. The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9. Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18. Absalom's place
19. Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33. David mourns for Absalom














(29) Is . . . Absalom safe?--The king's whole interest is centred in Absalom, and he cares for no other tidings. Ahimaaz skilfully, though untruthfully, evades the question. He had just been trained to untruthfulness in David's service.

The king's servant.--This can only refer to the Cushite; but by omitting the single letter which forms the conjunction in Hebrew, the phrase becomes "When Joab, the king's servant, sent thy servant," and so the Vulg. reads.

Verse 29. - Is the young man Absalom safe! literally, Is there peace to the lad Absalom? Was this mere love for the handsome but rebellious son, whose image comes back to the father as he was when just reaching manhood? Certainly not. David was thinking of the ominous words, "The sword shall never depart from thine house" (2 Samuel 12:10). The sword had devoured one son; was it now to claim another? And then? and then? Where would it stop? And Ahimaaz saw the king's distress, and gave an evasive answer. He understood now Joab's unwillingness to let him carry such painful tidings, and was glad that this part of the news had been entrusted to the Cushite. When Joab sent the king's servant, and (me) thy servant. This distinction is strange, and probably one of these phrases has crept in from the margin. But if the Ethiopian was technically "the king's slave," and Ahimaaz "thy slave" (by courtesy), we might imagine that the attendants already formed part of the state of kings. It was long afterwards that Ebedmelech was a Cushite in the service of Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38:7).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The king
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

asked,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Is the young man
לַנַּ֖עַר (lan·na·‘ar)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

Absalom
לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם (lə·’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

safe?”
שָׁל֥וֹם (šā·lō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace

And Ahimaaz
אֲחִימַ֡עַץ (’ă·ḥî·ma·‘aṣ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 290: Ahimaaz -- 'my brother is wrath', two Israelites

replied,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“When Joab
יוֹאָב֙ (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

sent
לִ֠שְׁלֹחַ (liš·lō·aḥ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

the king’s
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

servant
עֶ֨בֶד (‘e·ḇeḏ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

and your servant,
עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ (‘aḇ·de·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

I saw
רָאִיתִי֩ (rā·’î·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

a great
הַגָּד֜וֹל (hag·gā·ḏō·wl)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

tumult,
הֶהָמ֨וֹן (he·hā·mō·wn)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1995: A noise, tumult, crowd, disquietude, wealth

but I do not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

know
יָדַ֖עְתִּי (yā·ḏa‘·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know

what it was.”
מָֽה׃ (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what


Links
2 Samuel 18:29 NIV
2 Samuel 18:29 NLT
2 Samuel 18:29 ESV
2 Samuel 18:29 NASB
2 Samuel 18:29 KJV

2 Samuel 18:29 BibleApps.com
2 Samuel 18:29 Biblia Paralela
2 Samuel 18:29 Chinese Bible
2 Samuel 18:29 French Bible
2 Samuel 18:29 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Samuel 18:29 The king said Is it well (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 18:28
Top of Page
Top of Page