21. Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed low before Joab, then ran off.
22. But Zadok’s son Ahimaaz again said to Joab, "I don’t care what happens, just let me run after the Cushite too.""Why do you want to go, son?" Joab asked. "You’ll get no reward for going."
23. "I don’t care what happens, I want to go," Ahimaaz said.So Joab said to him, "Run off then!"Ahimaaz ran off, going by way of the plain, and passed the Cushite.
24. Now David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman on duty went up on the roof of the gate by the wall. He looked out and saw a man running alone.
25. The watchman called out and reported this to the king. The king said, "If he’s alone, it’s good news."The man got nearer and nearer,
26. and the watchman saw another man running and called down to the gatekeeper, "There’s another man running alone."The king said, "That one must be bringing good news too."
27. The watchman said, "I can see that the first one runs like Zadok’s son Ahimaaz.""He’s a good man," the king said, "and is coming with good news."