HIGH PRIEST AHIMAAZ

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) Numbers 35:25-38 mentions the death of a high priest.

@1.²⁵ So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, ²⁷ and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, ²⁸ because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. (Numbers 35:25-28 NKJV)

b) Each new high priest had to come from the lineage of Aaron.

c) List here are the ones whose stories are told elsewhere in the Bible.

1. High Priest Ahimaaz

i) ¹⁹ Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the Lord has avenged him of his enemies.” ²⁰ And Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king’s son is dead.” ²¹ Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran. ²² And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?” ²³ “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. ²⁴ Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone. ²⁵ Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came rapidly and drew near. ²⁶ Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!” And the king said, “He also brings news.” ²⁷ So the watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.” ²⁸ So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!” ²⁹ The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.” (2 Samuel 18:19-29 NKJV)

2. Importance

i) Carried the message of Absalom's death to King David, but was apparently afraid to tell about it.

3. What is the text all about?

a) Ahimaaz was Zadok’s son and had previously brought reports to David regarding what Absalom was doing, but though he acted honourably in the past, unfortunately he lets himself down in the account before us. He was eager to take the news of Absalom’s death to the king, but such zeal could cause more problems for Joab, therefore he sought to delay him. The Geneva Study Bible suggests that Joab held Ahimaaz in high regard and may have been trying to protect his favoured relationship with David, “For Joab bore a good affection to Ahimaaz and doubted how David would take the report of Absalom's death.” Ahimaaz must have felt put out when he learned that Cushite had been sent on the mission he had literally begged for. Because he persisted in pleading to go to David, Joab allowed him to do so, though he probably thought that Cushite would get there first anyway so anything Ahimaaz said would be old news.

b) Joab did not count on the fact that Ahimaaz was a faster runner than Cushite and so would quickly overtake him. As we see, Ahimaaz told David very little, therefore we have to assume he simply wanted to beat Cushite to the finishing post and receive the honour of announcing victory over the enemy. In fact Ahimaaz acted as a false witness since he blatantly lied about what he knew regarding Absalom. It is obvious that David would be more concerned about his son than the outcome of the battle, so maybe Ahimaaz understood this and was too scared to tell him the truth. It is possible that he knew the story of the man who brought David news about the death of Saul and thought that the same thing might happen to him. In reality Ahimaaz told David nothing and was unceremoniously dismissed.

c) We do not know anything about Cushite other than what is recorded in the text, though we assume that his name reveals that he came from Ethiopia. Cushite acted honourably and respectfully in everything he did and said. He did not beg for the opportunity to report back to David, and simply told the truth when asked. Joab told him to tell David all he had seen, which he did without doctoring the details for some ulterior motive.

d) Though Cushite was not the speediest runner, he was the most faithful, and he had no reason to expect a reward for his obedience. He did not cross the finishing line first, but it is to him David gave full attention. His message was not designed to avoid any fallout once delievered. We cannot fail to notice that he did not refer to himself or his prowess in his message as Ahimaaz had done. He did not try to make the message more acceptable to David with flattering words as Ahimaaz did.

 

e) Ahimaaz is also the name of a high priest. When Absalom rebelled against his father, David, Ahimaaz remained faithful to David. Ahimaaz was the husband of Basemath, the daughter of Solomon.

 

@1. ¹⁵ Ahimaaz, in Naphtali, married Basemath the daughter of Solomon (1 Kings 4:15 NKJV)

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