Ahimaaz
(brother of anger).
Son of Zadok the high priest in David’s reign, and celebrated for his swiftness of foot. During Absalom’s rebellion he carried to David the important intelligence that Ahithophel had counselled an immediate attack upon David and his followers. (2 Samuel 15:24-37; 17:15-22) Shortly afterwards he was the first to bring to the king the good news of Absalom’s defeat. (2 Samuel 18:19-33) (B.C. 972-956.) Saul’s wife’s father. (1 Samuel 14:50) (B.C. before 1093.) Solomon’s son-in-law.
(1 Kings 4:15) (B.C. after 1014.)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Ahimaaz
Ahimaaz a-hi-ma'-az, a-him'-a-az ('achima`ats, perhaps "my brother is rage," or "brother of rage"): ⇒See a list of verses on AHIMAAZ in the Bible. (1) Father of Ahinoam the wife of King Saul (1Sa 14:50). (2) The son of Zadok the high priest (1Ch 6:8-9,53). With his father he remained loyal to Dared in the rebellions both of Absalom and of Adonijah. With Jonathan the son of Abiathar he carried information to Dared when he fled from Absalom (2Sa 15:27,36; 17:17,20). At his own urgent request he carried tidings to David after the death of Absalom (2Sa 18:19 ff). He told the king of the victory, and also, through his reluctance to speak, informed him of Absalom's death. By his reluctance and his sympathy he softened a little the message, which the Cushite presently repeated more harshly. ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia. That Ahimaaz did not succeed his father as high priest has been inferred from the fact that in the Solomon list of heads of departments (1Ki 4:2) Azariah the son of Zadok is mentioned as priest. It is assumed that this Azariah is the one who appear…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Ahimaaz
1. Son of Zadok. He was a remarkably swift runner, whose style was well known (2 S 18-''), and as such he played an important part on the occasion of Absalom's rebellion. As had been arranged by David (2 S is^-ss-M-sej^ he and Jonathan, son of Abiathar, 'stayed by En-rogel, and a maidservant used to go and tell them,' from the priests, the plans of Absalom which had been divulged by Hushai, 'and they went and told King David.' This must have occurred more than once (2 S 17"). Details of their last and most critical adventure are given (17""*'), when, aided by a woman's craft, they succeeded in conveying the news that saved David's life. After the battle, Ahimaaz offered his services as messenger of victory ; but Joab, fearing that the odium of being the first to tell of Absalom's death might injure the young man's prospects, refused, out of kindness, to allow him to run, and entrusted the duty to the Cushite courier. Ahimaaz, however, saw a way out of the ditticulty ; Joab yielded reluctantly to his impor- tunity, and Ahimaaz ' ran by the way of the Plain ' (the floor of the Jordan v…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Ahimaaz
("brother of anger", i.e. "choleric".) 1. 1Sa 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 (1Sa 16:12; Psa 109:28). David's estimate of Ahimaaz appears in his remark on his approach after the battle (2Sa 18:27): "he is a good man, and cometh with good tidings." Though Cushi was later in arriving he anno…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia