24 大卫正坐在城瓮里。守望的人上城门楼的顶上，举目观看，见有一个人独自跑来。25 守望的人就大声告诉王。王说：「他若独自来，必是报口信的。」那人跑得渐渐近了。26 守望的人又见一人跑来，就对守城门的人说：「又有一人独自跑来。」王说：「这也必是报信的。」27 守望的人说：「我看前头人的跑法，好像撒督的儿子亚希玛斯的跑法一样。」王说：「他是个好人，必是报好信息。」
28 亚希玛斯向王呼叫说：「平安了！」就在王面前脸伏于地叩拜，说：「耶和华—你的 神是应当称颂的，因他已将那举手攻击我主我王的人交给王了。」29 王问说：「少年人押沙龙平安不平安？」亚希玛斯回答说：「约押打发王的仆人，那时仆人听见众民大声喧哗，却不知道是什么事。」30 王说：「你退去，站在旁边。」他就退去，站在旁边。
31 古示人也来到，说：「有信息报给我主我王！耶和华今日向一切兴起攻击你的人给你报仇了。」32 王问古示人说：「少年人押沙龙平安不平安？」古示人回答说：「愿我主我王的仇敌，和一切兴起要杀害你的人，都与那少年人一样。」33 王就心里伤恸，上城门楼去哀哭，一面走一面说：「我儿押沙龙啊！我儿，我儿押沙龙啊！我恨不得替你死，押沙龙啊，我儿！我儿！」
2 Sa 18:24–33.
2 Samuel 18:24–33 (ESV)
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer. 26 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.” 27 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 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” 29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.” 30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.
David’s Grief
31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.” 33 And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”