2 Samuel 15:36

Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David addresses Hushai during his flight from Jerusalem, instructing him to use Zadok and Abiathar as intermediaries. He directs Hushai to transmit all palace intelligence through the priests' sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, who remain stationed in the city.

The words — The Hebrew הִנֵּה־ (hi.neh) and שָׁם (sham) function as emphatic locatives meaning "there!" and "there." These terms anchor the covert network to a fixed, secure location rather than a moving party.

The thread — This relay mechanism resurfaces when Jonathan and Ahimaaz wait at En-rogel to pass messages to David (2 Samuel 17:17). It also recalls David’s earlier authorization for Zadok and Ahimaaz to return to the city (2 Samuel 15:27) and Ahimaaz’s subsequent request to deliver victory news (2 Samuel 18:19).

Why it lands — The text establishes a structured chain of command for intelligence gathering during a political crisis. It requires the reader to track how information flows through designated messengers rather than through direct royal access.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הִנֵּה־hi.neh-there!שָׁ֤םshamthere עִמָּם֙'i.Ma/m[are] with/ them שְׁנֵ֣יshe.Nei[the] two בְנֵיהֶ֔םve.nei./Hemsons/ their אֲחִימַ֣עַץ'a.chi.Ma.'atzAhimaaz לְצָד֔וֹקle./tza.Dokof/ Zadok וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ןvi./ho.na.Tanand/ Jonathan לְאֶבְיָתָ֑רle./'ev.ya.Tarof/ Abiathar וּשְׁלַחְתֶּ֤םu./she.lach.Temand/ you will send בְּיָדָם֙be./ya.Da/mby/ hand/ their אֵלַ֔י'e.La/ito/ me כָּל־kol-every דָּבָ֖רda.Varword אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich תִּשְׁמָֽעוּ׃tish.Ma.'uyou will hear

King James Version

Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.

Cross-references

2 Samuel 17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be seen entering the city.
2 Samuel 15:27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.
2 Samuel 18:19 Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”

People named

ZadokAbiatharAhimaazJonathan