John Gill Commentary 2 Samuel 18:29

"And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king`s servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was." — 2 Samuel 18:29 (ASV)

And the king said, is the young man Absalom safe ?
&c.] Or, is there "peace" ^F6 to him? you say there is peace, and that prosperity and success have attended my army; but what peace has Absalom? is he well, and in safety? David seemed more concerned for him than for his army and the success of it; and even suggests as if it was nothing if Absalom was not safe, so great were his affections towards him:

and Ahimaaz answered, when Joab sent the king's servant ;
which was Cushi, the first messenger, whose office perhaps it was to be one of the king's messengers, and therefore called his servant:

and [me] your servant :
Ahimaaz himself who was sent after the other:

I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what [it was] ;
he perceived that the tidings of the death of Absalom would be disagreeable to the king, and therefore concealed it from him; and though a good man, he cannot be excused from lying, for certainly he knew that Absalom was dead, as appears from (2 Samuel 18:19 2 Samuel 18:20) ; though indeed what he said might be true, that after Joab had sent him and Cushi, as the Targum paraphrases it, he saw a company of people gathered together in a tumultuous manner, the meaning of which he knew not; but then this was no other than an evasion.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F6: (renl Mwlv) "estne pax puero?" V. L. "pax puero", Pagninus, Montanus.