¹⁹ Ahimaaz son of Zadok^(A) said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”

²⁰ Joab replied to him, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but today you aren’t taking good news, because the king’s son is dead.” ²¹ Joab then said to a Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

²² However, Ahimaaz son of Zadok persisted and said to Joab, “No matter what, please let me also run behind the Cushite!”

Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to run since you won’t get a reward?” ^[a]

²³ “No matter what, I want to run!”

“Then run!” Joab said to him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

²⁴ David was sitting between the city gates^(B) when the watchman went up to the roof of the city gate and over to the wall.^(C) The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone. ²⁵ He called out and told the king.

The king said, “If he’s alone, he bears good news.”

As the first runner came closer, ²⁶ the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”

“This one is also bringing good news,” said the king.

²⁷ The watchman said, “The way the first man runs looks to me like the way Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs.”^(D)

“This is a good man; he comes with good news,”^(E) the king commented.

²⁸ Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well,” and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. He continued, “Blessed be the Lord your God! He delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king.”

²⁹ 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.”

³⁰ The king said, “Move aside and stand here.” So he stood to one side.

³¹ Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: The Lord has vindicated you today by freeing you from all who rise against you!”

³² The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?”

The Cushite replied, “I wish that the enemies of my lord the king, along with all who rise up against you with evil intent, would become like that young man.”^(F)

³³ The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber above the city gate and wept. As he walked, he cried, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!” ^(G)

Adonijah’s Bid for Power

⁵ Adonijah son of Haggith^(A) kept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king!” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and fifty men to run ahead of him.^[a](B)

¹³ Letters were sent by couriers^(A) to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people—young and old, women and children—and plunder their possessions on a single day,^(B) the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.^[a]

¹⁵ The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa.^(A) The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.^(B)