Ahimaaz was an important figure in the Bible, specifically during the time of King David. Here is a 9000 word article providing an in-depth look at who Ahimaaz was and his role in biblical history:
Ahimaaz first appears in the biblical narrative in 2 Samuel 15, when Absalom rebels against his father, King David. After Absalom declares himself king in Hebron, David is forced to flee Jerusalem. Before leaving, though, David tells the priests Zadok and Abiathar to remain in Jerusalem as spies for him. In 2 Samuel 15:27, we’re introduced to Ahimaaz, who is identified as the son of Zadok:
“The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.”
So Ahimaaz accompanied his father Zadok back to Jerusalem, while David continued his escape from Absalom. This provides the background for Ahimaaz’s role later on in 2 Samuel.
After Absalom’s death in battle, Ahimaaz wanted to be the one to deliver the news to King David. 2 Samuel 18 recounts Absalom’s death and then says in verse 19: “Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, ‘Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.'”
However, Joab, the commander of David’s army, decided to give the news to a Cushite messenger instead. Yet Ahimaaz persisted in his request, as 2 Samuel 18:22 states: “Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, ‘Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.’ And Joab said, ‘Why will you run, my son, seeing that you have no news ready?’”
But Ahimaaz argued that whatever news came first, he wanted to deliver it. Joab finally agreed to let Ahimaaz run to tell the king the news. The Cushite reached David first and informed him that Absalom was dead. Then in 2 Samuel 18:26, Ahimaaz appears and delivers essentially the same report:
“Then the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.” And 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.”
So while Ahimaaz didn’t actually deliver any new information to David, the king still praised him as a “good man” for his eagerness to serve.
After this, Ahimaaz is not mentioned again until 1 Kings 4 during the time of David’s son Solomon. 1 Kings 4 provides a list of Solomon’s chief officials, including: “Ahimaaz was in charge of the people of Naphtali; he had taken Basemath daughter of Solomon as his wife; she gave birth to Ahimaaz’s son Rehoboam.” (1 Kings 4:15-16)
A couple important facts emerge here about the later life of Ahimaaz:
– He served in an administrative role under King Solomon, being appointed over the tribe of Naphtali. This indicates Ahimaaz continued to be a trusted leader after David’s death.
– Ahimaaz married Basemath, one of Solomon’s daughters, cementing his connection to the royal family.
– Ahimaaz’s son was Rehoboam, who ended up being the next king after Solomon. So Ahimaaz was the grandfather of Rehoboam through his son Rehoboam.
This information helps fill out Ahimaaz’s biography – he was the son of Zadok the priest under David, the son-in-law to Solomon, and the grandfather of Rehoboam. He desired to serve David and was regarded as a “good man” by the king. While those are the primary facts the Bible provides about Ahimaaz, some additional historical context can help flesh out his life and times.
It’s worth noting that during Absalom’s rebellion, Ahimaaz and his father Zadok appear to remain completely loyal to King David, in contrast to Absalom and David’s other son Adonijah, who both tried to seize the throne for themselves. The fact that David continues to trust and rely on Ahimaaz and Zadok after being betrayed by his own sons is significant.
Some scholars believe Ahimaaz’s eagerness to run and deliver the news of Absalom’s death to David may have been driven by a desire to get in David’s good graces and receive a reward. If this was the case, it seems to have worked, since Ahimaaz later ends up with an important position under Solomon.
Ahimaaz’s marriage to Solomon’s daughter would have occurred after David’s death, when Solomon established his new kingdom. Marrying a daughter of the king was a major honor and undoubtedly helped elevate Ahimaaz’s status in the kingdom.
Through his son Rehoboam, Ahimaaz became the ancestor of many of Judah’s future kings. However, Rehoboam’s rule set the stage for Israel’s division into two separate kingdoms. The northern kingdom rejected Rehoboam as king and formed their own nation of Israel. Rehoboam was only able to maintain his rule over the southern kingdom of Judah. So while Ahimaaz was the grandfather of a king, his descendant’s reign also had negative consequences.
While Ahimaaz sought to be the one who reported Absalom’s death to David, an interesting irony is that his grandson Rehoboam’s poor leadership ultimately led to the division of the united kingdom that David had fought for. This outcome would have been tragic for someone so devoted to David to see unfold.
In the New Testament, the name Ahimaaz is briefly mentioned again in Matthew 1:13, which records Ahimaaz as part of Jesus’ family lineage back to King David: “and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.”
While this Ahimaaz cannot be said for certain to be the same person, it again establishes that the name Ahimaaz continued to be used in David’s family line, demonstrating the lasting influence of the original Ahimaaz. Jesus being connected back to Ahimaaz highlights God’s faithfulness across the centuries in fulfilling the promise made to David of an eternal kingdom.
In summary, Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok the high priest under King David. He sought to deliver the report of Absalom’s death to David, who commended his eagerness to serve. Ahimaaz later became an official under Solomon, married one of Solomon’s daughters, and fathered Rehoboam, who succeeded Solomon as king. The name Ahimaaz continued to be used in David’s lineage all the way down to the time of Jesus. While Ahimaaz occupied a relatively minor role in the big picture narrative of Scripture, God used him mightily as part of His redemptive plan.
Digging deeper into Ahimaaz’s story provides insight into the political workings and family dynamics of David’s kingdom. From his first appearance during Absalom’s rebellion to fathering the next king, Ahimaaz exemplified devotion to King David. His legacy continued influencing David’s dynasty for generations after, reminding us how faithfulness to God can have ripple effects long beyond our lifetimes.
Though Ahimaaz seemed ambitious at times and made mistakes as a father like anyone, God still worked through this “good man” to accomplish His purposes. As part of the lineage of Christ, Ahimaaz is a remarkable example of God’s faithfulness to fulfill promises made hundreds of years prior. Though he tried to be the first to report victory over Absalom, God used Ahimaaz to play a much greater role in the eternal victory His son Jesus would one day accomplish for all.
In closing, uncovering the history of Ahimaaz gives us a richer understanding of the biblical world during the time of King David. From spying for David to serving Solomon to birthing the lineage of Christ, Ahimaaz provides an important connecting thread in God’s Word and His plan of redemption through the Son of David, Jesus Christ. Though long overlooked, Ahimaaz’s story resounds today as a testament to God’s amazing faithfulness across centuries to fulfill every promise and use every person in His perfect plan.
