2 Samuel 18:21
New International Version
Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.

New Living Translation
Then Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The man bowed and ran off.

English Standard Version
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran.

Berean Standard Bible
So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

King James Bible
Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

New King James Version
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.

New American Standard Bible
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

NASB 1995
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

NASB 1977
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

Amplified Bible
Then Joab said to the Cushite (Ethiopian), “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” And the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

Christian Standard Bible
Joab then said to a Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joab then said to the Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

American Standard Version
Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yuab said to Kushi: “Go, show the King whatever you have seen!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joab said to Chusi, Go, report to the king all that thou hast seen. And Chusi did obeisance to Joab, and went out.

Contemporary English Version
Someone from Ethiopia was standing there, and Joab told him, "Go and tell the king what you have seen." The man knelt down in front of Joab, then got up and started running.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Joab said to Chusai: Go, and tell the king what thou hast seen. Chusai bowed down to Joab, and ran.

English Revised Version
Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Joab said to a man from Sudan, "Go, tell the king what you saw." The messenger bowed down with his face touching the ground in front of Joab and then ran off.

Good News Translation
Then he said to his Ethiopian slave, "Go and tell the king what you have seen." The slave bowed and ran off.

International Standard Version
So Joab ordered a man from Ethiopia, "Go tell the king what you've seen." So the Ethiopian saluted Joab and then ran to tell David.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said Joab to the Cushite: 'Go tell the king what thou hast seen.' And the Cushite bowed down unto Joab, and ran.

Literal Standard Version
And Joab says to Cushi, “Go, declare to the king that which you have seen”; and Cushi bows himself to Joab, and runs.

Majority Standard Bible
So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

New American Bible
Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and ran off.

NET Bible
Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go and tell the king what you have seen." After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran.

New Heart English Bible
Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Joab to Cushi, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself to Joab, and ran.

World English Bible
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.

Young's Literal Translation
And Joab saith to Cushi, 'Go, declare to the king that which thou hast seen;' and Cushi boweth himself to Joab, and runneth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Mourns for Absalom
20But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.” 21So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running. 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?”…

Cross References
2 Samuel 18:20
But Joab replied, "You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king's son is dead."

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 18:23
"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.

2 Samuel 18:31
Just then the Cushite came and said, "May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!"


Treasury of Scripture

Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what you have seen. And Cushi bowed himself to Joab, and ran.

Jump to Previous
Bowed Boweth Cushi Cushite Cushy Declare Joab Jo'ab Making Ran Respect Runneth Sign Word
Jump to Next
Bowed Boweth Cushi Cushite Cushy Declare Joab Jo'ab Making Ran Respect Runneth Sign Word
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














(21) Cushi.--Rather, the Cushite, probably an Ethiopian slave in Joab's service, for whose falling under the king's displeasure he had little care.

Verse 21. - Cushi. This is not a proper name, but signifies that he was an Ethiopian in Joab's service. Joab was unwilling to expose Ahimaaz to me king's displeasure, and we gather from ver. 27 that the sending of a person of low rank would be understood to signify evil tidings. The bearer of good news received a present, and therefore the passing over all Joab's personal friends to send a slave was proof that the message was not expected to bring the bearer honour or reward. And Joab was quite right in supposing that David would be more displeased at his son's death than pleased at the victory.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Joab
יוֹאָב֙ (yō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

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

to a Cushite,
לַכּוּשִׁ֔י (lak·kū·šî)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3569: Cushite -- descendant of Cush

“Go,
לֵ֛ךְ (lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

tell
הַגֵּ֥ד (hag·gêḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

the king
לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (lam·me·leḵ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

what
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you have seen.”
רָאִ֑יתָה (rā·’î·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

The Cushite
כוּשִׁ֛י (ḵū·šî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3569: Cushite -- descendant of Cush

bowed
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ (way·yiš·ta·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate

to Joab
לְיוֹאָ֖ב (lə·yō·w·’āḇ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3097: Joab -- 'the LORD is father', three Israelites

and took off running.
וַיָּרֹֽץ׃ (way·yā·rōṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7323: To run


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OT History: 2 Samuel 18:21 Then said Joab to the Cushite Go (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 18:20
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