2 Samuel 18:30

Study note

Setting — The king commands Ahimaaz at the city gate immediately after the battle report is delayed. He orders Ahimaaz to step aside and stand aside so the next messenger can approach.

The words — The Hebrew verb סֹב (so) means "go around" or "move aside," and כֹּה (koh) means "thus" or "here." The king uses these terms to physically clear a path for the approaching runner.

The thread — This court protocol of clearing a path for royal messengers appears in 1 Kings 1:33 and 2 Kings 9:3. The narrative uses the same action to mark the shift from Ahimaaz's evasive answer to the Cushite's direct delivery.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to observe how royal procedure temporarily overrides personal concern. It asks the reader to track the deliberate pacing of the scene as the king's attention shifts from his son to the official report.

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.