Ahimaaz

Ahimaaz is a personal name in the Hebrew Scriptures, and in the narratives that feature him most prominently it belongs to a son of Zadok the priest who serves as a messenger for King David during Absalom’s revolt. The text says Ahimaaz was Zadok’s son (2 Samuel 15:27), and the genealogical notice in 1 Chronicles 6:8 traces the line “Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz,” placing him within the priestly genealogy.

The narrative says that during Absalom’s rebellion David sent Zadok back into the city with his two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, and named them as the men through whom word was to be sent (2 Samuel 15:27, 15:36). It says Jonathan and Ahimaaz “were staying by En Rogel” and relayed reports to David through a female servant (2 Samuel 17:17); when Absalom’s servants came looking for them, the woman told them, “They have gone over the brook of water” (2 Samuel 17:20).

In the report of Absalom’s defeat, Ahimaaz says, “Let me now run and carry the king news” (2 Samuel 18:19). The watchman sees a man running alone (2 Samuel 18:24), recognizes the running as Ahimaaz’s (2 Samuel 18:27), and David answers, “He is a good man, and comes with good news” (2 Samuel 18:27). Ahimaaz calls out, “All is well,” bows, and says, “Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!” (2 Samuel 18:28). The Cushite then arrives with good news (2 Samuel 18:31), and when David asks about Absalom, the Cushite answers indirectly (2 Samuel 18:32); David is “much moved” and weeps for Absalom (2 Samuel 18:33).

Christian traditions do not make Ahimaaz a confessional or doctrinal figure, and no major tradition treats him as more than a minor narrative character. Interpreters differ mainly in emphasis: some read him as a loyal and courageous messenger, others as part of the priestly network that remains loyal to David during the revolt, and literary readers often attend to the messenger scenes as craftsmanship within the Absalom narrative. Those are interpretive suggestions rather than settled points of Christian teaching.

AI-generated reference entry, grounded in the passages where this term appears — history and Scripture stated as such, interpretation labeled as interpretation. Not a substitute for the text itself.