18 When Absalom was alive, he had set up a stone monument for himself in King's Valley. He explained, “I don't have any sons to keep my name alive.” He called it Absalom's Monument, and that is the name it still has today.
19 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Joab, let me run and tell King David that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies.”
20 Joab answered, “You're not the one to tell the king that his son is dead. You can take him a message some other time, but not today.”
21 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 and then got up and started running.
22 Ahimaaz spoke to Joab again, “No matter what happens, I still want to run. And besides, the Ethiopian has already left.”Joab said, “Why should you run? You won't get a reward for the news you have!”
23 “I'll run no matter what!” Ahimaaz insisted.“All right then, run!” Joab said.Ahimaaz took the road through the Jordan Valley and outran the Ethiopian.
24 Meanwhile, David was sitting between the inner and outer gates in the city wall. One of his soldiers was watching from the roof of the gate-tower. He saw a man running towards the town