2 Samuel 18 · Verse 29

2 Samuel 18:29

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.
2 Samuel 18:29, King James Version

2 Samuel 18:29 in other translations

BSBThe 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.”
WEBThe 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.”
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd 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.'
DARBYAnd the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw a great tumult when Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant; but I knew not what it was.
BBEAnd the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said in answer, When Joab sent me, your servant, I saw a great outcry going on, but I had no knowledge of what it was.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does 2 Samuel 18:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 18:24-32

24-32. David sat between the two gates--that is, in the tower-house on the wall that overhung the gate of Mahanaim. Near it was a watchtower, on which a sentinel was posted, as in times of war, to notify every occurrence. The delicacy of Ahimaaz' communication was made up by the unmistakable plainness of Cushi's. The death of Absalom was a heavy trial, and it is impossible not to sympathize with the outburst of…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 18:24-32 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 29 I saw a great tumult - It was very probable that Ahimaaz did not know of the death of Absalom; he had seen the rout of his army, but did not know of his death. Others think he knew all, and told this untruth that he might not be the messenger of bad news to David.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:19-33

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…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 18:19-33 →

2 Samuel 18:29 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
שָׁל֥וֹםsha.Lom[does] peace?H7965
לַנַּ֖עַרla.Na.'ar[belong] to the young manH5288
לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹםle.'av.sha.Lomto AbsalomH53
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֲחִימַ֡עַץ'a.chi.Ma.'atzAhimaazH290
רָאִיתִי֩ra.'i.TiI sawH7200
הֶהָמ֨וֹןhe.ha.Monthe multitudeH1995
הַגָּד֜וֹלha.ga.Dol<the> greatH1419
לִ֠שְׁלֹחַLish.lo.achto sendH7971
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֶ֨בֶד'E.ved[the] servant ofH5650
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
יוֹאָב֙yo.'AvJoabH3097
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ'av.De.khaservant yourH5650
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
יָדַ֖עְתִּיya.Da'.tiI knowH3045
מָֽה\׃MahwhateverH4100

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 18:29

  • 2 Samuel 18:22

    Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?

  • 2 Samuel 18:19-20

    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. And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.

  • 2 Samuel 20:9

    And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Is the young man Absalom safe? Heb. is there peace to, etc.I saw a great.
19,20,22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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.

  • 2 Samuel 18:29

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 18:30

    And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y el rey dijo: ¿El mozo Absalom tiene paz? Y Ahimaas respondió: Vi yo un grande alboroto cuando envió Joab al siervo del rey y á mí tu siervo; mas no sé qué era.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le roi dit: Y a-t-il paix pour le jeune homme Absalom? Et Akhimaats dit: J’ai vu un grand tumulte lorsque Joab envoya le serviteur du roi et ton serviteur; et je ne sais ce qu’il y avait.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der König sprach: Geht es dem Jüngling, dem Absalom, wohl? Und Achimaaz sprach: Ich sah ein großes Getümmel, als Joab den Knecht des Königs und deinen Knecht absandte; aber ich weiß nicht, was es war.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et ait rex: Estne pax puero Absalom? Dixitque Achimaas: Vidi tumultum magnum cum mitteret Joab servus tuus, o rex, me servum tuum: nescio aliud.