Person Old Testament
Ahimaaz
Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, was a messenger who helped David during Absalom's rebellion and brought news of Absalom's death. Mentioned in 13 verses across 2 books, first at 2 Samuel 15:27.
Why it matters. Son of Zadok the priest, a messenger for David
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Ahimaaz
Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok, the high priest during the reign of King David. He played a significant role as a messenger and loyal supporter of David during the rebellion of David's son Absalom. Along with Jonathan, son of Abiathar, Ahimaaz stayed outside Jerusalem to relay information about Absalom's plans to David. (2Sa.15.27,36; 17.17)
When David's forces defeated Absalom's army, Ahimaaz wanted to bring the news to David, but Joab initially sent a Cushite messenger instead. Ahimaaz persisted and was allowed to run, overtaking the Cushite. He reported the victory to David but withheld the news of Absalom's death, which the Cushite messenger revealed. (2Sa.18.19-29)
In the genealogy of the Levites, Ahimaaz is listed as the son of Zadok and the father of Azariah, who served as priests in the temple built by Solomon. (1Ch.6.8,9,53) Ahimaaz's loyalty to David and his role in supporting the rightful king showcase his importance during this tumultuous period in Israel's history.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Family
Family links from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0). Where the dataset marks an identification as uncertain, the mark is kept. Matthew and Luke give different genealogies for Jesus; see the Lineage page, which never merges them.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 13 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.