ahimaaz Summary and Overview

brother of anger = irascible. (1.) The father Ahinoam, the wife of Saul (1 Sam. 14:50). (2.) The son and successor of Zadok in the office of high priest (1 Chr. 6:8, 53). On the occasion of the revolt of Absalom he remained faithful to David, and was of service to him in conveying to him tidings of the proceedings of Absalom in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 15:24-37; 17:15-21). He was swift of foot, and was the first to carry to David tidings of the defeat of Absalom, although he refrained, from delicacy of feeling, from telling him of his death (2 Sam. 18:19-33).

AHIM'AAZ (brother of wrath). 1. The father of Saul's wife Ahinoam. 1 Sam 14:50. 1. Son and successor of Zadok the priest. During the revolt of Absalom, Zadok and Abiathar, the high priests, stayed in Jerusalem with Hushai, David's friend; while Ahimaaz and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, stationed themselves at En-rogel, a short distance from the city, and the plot was that all that Hushai should hear respecting Absalom's plans he should communicate to Zadok and Abiathar, and they to their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan, by whom the intelligence should be communicated to David. 2 Sam 15:30. As soon as Absalom had rejected the counsel of Ahithophel, and adopted that of Hushai, Zadok and Abiathar were promptly informed of it, and directed their sons to go with all possible haste to David and tell him to cross Jordan at once. A woman bore the message. Seeing her speak to the men, and noticing that they ran off with haste, a lad informed Absalom of the suspicious event, and accordingly he ordered a pursuit. When they came to Bahurim, they concealed themselves in a well. The woman of the house covered the mouth of the well with a blanket, on which she spread corn to dry ; and when Absalom's messengers came up in the pursuit, and inquired where they were, she told them that the young men had passed on. Thus they escaped, and while their pursuers returned to Jerusalem they hastened to David with their message. 2 Sam 17:15-22. At his own urgent request, Ahimaaz was employed to carry the intelligence of Absalom's death to David, his father. He outran Cushi, who had been previously despatched on the same errand. Before he had delivered his message, however, Cushi came up, and made known the sad event. 2 Sam 18:19-33. See David. 1. A son-in-law of Solomon, and one of his commissariat officers. 1 Kgs 4:15.

("brother of anger", i.e. "choleric".) 1. 1 Samuel 14:50. 2. Zadok the priest's son; the messenger in Absalom's rebellion, with Jonathan, Abiathar's son, to carry tidings from Hushai, David's friend and spy. Zadok and Abiathar, who took back the ark to the city at David's request, were to tell them while staying outside the city at Enrogel whatever Hushai directed. They told David the counsel of Ahlthophel for an immediate attack, which David should baffle by crossing Jordan at once. They narrowly escaped Absalom's servants at Bahurim, the woman of the house hiding them in a well's mouth, over which she spread a covering with ground grain on it, and telling the servants what was true in word, though misleading them: "they be gone over the brook of water." Bahurim, the scene of Shimei's cursing of David, was thus made the scene of David's preservation by God, who heard his prayer (1 Samuel 16:12; Psalm 109:28). David's estimate of Ahimaaz appears in his remark on his approach after the battle (2 Samuel 18:27): "he is a good man, and cometh with good tidings." Though Cushi was later in arriving he announced the fate of Absalom, which Ahimaaz with courtier-like equivocation evaded announcing, lest he should alloy his good news with what would be so distressing to David. Joab, knowing David's fondness for Absalom, had not wished Ahimaaz to go at all on that day, but youths will hardly believe their elders wiser than themselves. Good running was a quality much valued in those days, and Ahimaaz was famous for it. The battle was fought on the mount of Ephraim W. of Jordan, and Ahimaaz ran by the plain of the Jordan to David at Mahanaim. Compare as to Asahel 2 Samuel 2:18; Elijah, 1 Kings 18:46. Compare as to runners before kings 2 Samuel 15:1; 1 Kings 1:5; as to courier posts, 2 Chronicles 30:6; 2 Chronicles 30:10; Esther 3:13; Esther 3:15; Esther 8:14. Comparing 1 Kings 4:2 with 1 Chronicles 6:10, some infer that Ahimaaz died before he attained the priesthood, and before his father Zadok, who was succeeded by Ahimaaz's son, Azariah. (See ABIATHAR) 3. 1 Kings 5:7; 1 Kings 5:15.