2 Samuel 18:23
New International Version
He said, “Come what may, I want to run.” So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

New Living Translation
“Yes, but let me go anyway,” he begged. Joab finally said, “All right, go ahead.” So Ahimaaz took the less demanding route by way of the plain and ran to Mahanaim ahead of the Ethiopian.

English Standard Version
“Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

Berean Standard Bible
“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

King James Bible
But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

New King James Version
“But whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

New American Standard Bible
“But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed by the Cushite.

NASB 1995
“But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed up the Cushite.

NASB 1977
“But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed up the Cushite.

Legacy Standard Bible
“But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.

Amplified Bible
“But whatever happens, Let me run.” So Joab said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain [of the Jordan River] and outran the Cushite.

Christian Standard Bible
“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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.

American Standard Version
But come what may, said he, I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He said to him, “What then? I shall run!” He said to him, “Run!” And Akhimaz ran on the road of Kakar and he passed Kushi

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said, Why should I not run? and Joab said to him, Run. And Achimaas ran along the way of Kechar, and outran Chusi.

Contemporary English Version
"I'll run no matter what!" Ahimaaz insisted. "All right then, run!" Joab said. Ahimaaz took the road through the Jordan Valley and outran the Ethiopian.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered: But what if I run? And he said to him: Run. Then Achimaas running by a nearer way passed Chusai.

English Revised Version
But come what may, said he, I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran the Cushite.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Whatever happens, I'd like to run," [replied Ahimaaz.] "Run," Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran along the valley road and got ahead of the Sudanese messenger.

Good News Translation
"Whatever happens," Ahimaaz said again, "I want to go." "Then go," Joab said. So Ahimaaz ran off down the road through the Jordan Valley, and soon he passed the slave.

International Standard Version
"No matter what, I'm running," Ahimaaz replied. So Joab told Ahimaaz, "Run!" And Ahimaaz ran, taking the Jordan Valley road, passing the Ethiopian.

JPS Tanakh 1917
But come what may, [said he,] I will run.' And he said unto him: 'Run.' Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran the Cushite.

Literal Standard Version
“And whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.” And he says to him, “Run”; and Ahimaaz runs the way of the circuit, and passes by the Cushite.

Majority Standard Bible
“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

New American Bible
But he insisted, “Come what may, I want to run.” Joab said to him, “Run.” Ahimaaz took the way of the Jordan plain and outran the Cushite.

NET Bible
But he said, "Whatever happens, I want to go!" So Joab said to him, "Then go!" So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite.

New Revised Standard Version
“Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

New Heart English Bible
And he said, "But come what may, I will run." He said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

Webster's Bible Translation
But however, said he, let me run. And he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran Cushi.

World English Bible
“But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

Young's Literal Translation
And, whatever it be, said he, let me run.' And he saith to him, 'Run;' and Ahimaaz runneth the way of the circuit, and passeth by the Cushite.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Mourns for Absalom
22Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?” 23“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite. 24Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 18:21
So Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

2 Samuel 18:22
Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, "Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!" "My son," Joab replied, "why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?"

2 Samuel 18:24
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.


Treasury of Scripture

But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

overran Cushi

John 20:4
So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

Jump to Previous
Ahimaaz Ahi'ma-Az Circuit Cushi Cushite Cushy Happens However Howsoever Joab Lowland Outran Outstripped Overran Passed Passeth Plain Ran Road Run Runneth Running Want Way Whatever
Jump to Next
Ahimaaz Ahi'ma-Az Circuit Cushi Cushite Cushy Happens However Howsoever Joab Lowland Outran Outstripped Overran Passed Passeth Plain Ran Road Run Runneth Running Want Way Whatever
2 Samuel 18
1. David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6. The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9. Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18. Absalom's place
19. Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33. David mourns for Absalom














(23) By the way of the plain.--The word used here is generally applied to the valley of the Jordan and hence it has been argued that the battle could not have been fought on the eastern side of the river, since, in that case, Ahimaaz could not have reached Mahanaim by the Jordan valley except by a long and tedious detour. But the word simply means circuit, or surrounding country, and is used in Nehemiah 12:28 for the country about Jerusalem. Here it means that Ahimaaz ran "by the way of the circuit," i.e., in all probability, by a longer but smoother road than that taken by the Cushite, so that he was able to outrun him.

Verse 23. - Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain; Hebrew, the kikkar, or Jordan valley. The battle, as we saw in ver. 6, was fought on the eastern side of the river, and Absalom's army, in their flight, would endeavour to reach the fords of the Jordan (comp. Judges 12:5); and probably Joab had pursued them for some distance before the man found in the thicket the body of the unfortunate Absalom. The large slaughter of twenty thousand men (ver. 7) proves that the defeated rebels were vigorously followed. In carrying the news he evidently went back by the route which the troops had followed; while Ahimaaz took a longer course to the west, but one that avoided the tangles and the deep defiles of the forest. Strictly, the Kikkar, as we have seen, was the name of the Jordan valley near Jericho; but it was probably applicable also to the same sort of formation further north. On approaching Mahanaim, Ahimaaz would strike inland, and the two routes would join one another; and one reason which made Ahimaaz go more to the west was that he did net wish the Cushite to know that he had a rival. He would thus go at a steady pace, picking his way through the forest, while Ahimaaz was using his utmost speed.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“No matter what,
מָ֣ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

I want to run!”
אָר֔וּץ (’ā·rūṣ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7323: To run

he replied.
וִיהִי־ (wî·hî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

“Then run!”
ר֑וּץ (rūṣ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7323: To run

Joab told
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

him.
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

So Ahimaaz
אֲחִימַ֙עַץ֙ (’ă·ḥî·ma·‘aṣ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 290: Ahimaaz -- 'my brother is wrath', two Israelites

ran
וַיָּ֤רָץ (way·yā·rāṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7323: To run

by way
דֶּ֣רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the plain
הַכִּכָּ֔ר (hak·kik·kār)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3603: A round, a round district, a round loaf, a round weight, a talent (a measure of weight or money)

and outran
וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר (way·ya·‘ă·ḇōr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

the Cushite.
הַכּוּשִֽׁי׃ (hak·kū·šî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3569: Cushite -- descendant of Cush


Links
2 Samuel 18:23 NIV
2 Samuel 18:23 NLT
2 Samuel 18:23 ESV
2 Samuel 18:23 NASB
2 Samuel 18:23 KJV

2 Samuel 18:23 BibleApps.com
2 Samuel 18:23 Biblia Paralela
2 Samuel 18:23 Chinese Bible
2 Samuel 18:23 French Bible
2 Samuel 18:23 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Samuel 18:23 But come what may said he (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 18:22
Top of Page
Top of Page