2 Samuel 18:28

And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed [be] the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

And Ahimaaz {H290} called {H7121}, and said {H559} unto the king {H4428}, All is well {H7965}. And he fell down {H7812} to the earth {H776} upon his face {H639} before the king {H4428}, and said {H559}, Blessed {H1288} be the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430}, which hath delivered up {H5462} the men {H582} that lifted up {H5375} their hand {H3027} against my lord {H113} the king {H4428}.

Achima'atz called to the king, "Shalom," prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Blessed be ADONAI your God, who has handed over the men who rebelled against my lord the king."

Then 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.”

And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

Commentary

Context

This verse finds King David in a state of intense anxiety, awaiting news from the battlefield after the decisive confrontation with his rebellious son, Absalom. The battle, described in 2 Samuel 18:6-8, had just concluded, resulting in a crushing defeat for Absalom's forces. Ahimaaz, son of Zadok the priest, had eagerly volunteered to run ahead of the official messenger, the Cushite, to deliver the news to the king. Despite Joab's initial reluctance due to the sensitive nature of the news (Absalom's death), Ahimaaz insisted. Upon reaching David, Ahimaaz delivers a partial, yet strategically important, message focused on the victory, delaying the tragic news of Absalom's demise that David dreaded.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Deliverance: Ahimaaz's immediate declaration, "Blessed [be] the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king," highlights the prevailing belief that God was actively involved in Israel's affairs and had granted David victory over his enemies. This was seen as God's vindication of David's rightful kingship against the rebellion.
  • Respect and Submission: Ahimaaz's action of falling "down to the earth upon his face before the king" demonstrates profound respect and submission to King David, characteristic of protocol in ancient Near Eastern courts. It also conveys the solemnity and importance of the news he carried.
  • The Burden of News: While Ahimaaz brings good news of victory, he skillfully (or perhaps mercifully) omits the devastating detail of Absalom's death, knowing David's deep affection for his son. This sets the stage for the arrival of the Cushite, who would eventually deliver the full, painful truth (2 Samuel 18:32), leading to David's profound lament (2 Samuel 18:33).
  • Praise and Thanksgiving: The verse powerfully illustrates the immediate response of thanksgiving to God for a significant victory. Even before full details were known, the deliverance from a grave threat prompted an outpouring of praise for the Lord.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "All is well" translates the Hebrew word shalom (שלום), which is far richer than just "peace." It encompasses concepts of completeness, welfare, prosperity, health, and security. In this context, Ahimaaz is affirming that the kingdom's security and David's reign are safe, despite the personal tragedy looming. His declaration of "Blessed be the LORD thy God" uses a common Hebrew blessing, Baruch Adonai Eloheka, an expression of profound gratitude and worship.

Practical Application

This verse offers several timeless insights:

  1. Acknowledge God's Hand in Deliverance: Like Ahimaaz, we are called to recognize and praise God for His hand in our victories and deliverances, whether from physical threats, spiritual struggles, or life's challenges. Our first response should be gratitude and worship.
  2. Navigating Difficult Truths: The situation highlights the delicate balance of delivering news, especially when it contains both triumph and tragedy. It reminds us to approach sensitive communication with wisdom and compassion, considering the recipient's emotional state.
  3. Trust in Divine Providence: Even in the midst of personal sorrow or complex situations, we can find comfort in knowing that God is sovereign and works all things for His purposes, ultimately delivering His people from their adversaries (Romans 8:28).
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Samuel 14:4

    And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

  • Genesis 14:20

    And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

  • 2 Chronicles 20:26

    And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

  • Psalms 124:6

    ¶ Blessed [be] the LORD, who hath not given us [as] a prey to their teeth.

  • 1 Samuel 24:18

    And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.

  • 1 Samuel 26:8

    Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time.

  • 2 Samuel 22:27

    With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
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