And the king said unto Cushi, is the young man Absalom safe?
&c.] The same question that was put to Ahimaaz, ( 2 Samuel 18:29 ) ; which shows what lay nearest his heart, and was uppermost in his mind,
and Cushi answered, the enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise
against thee to do [thee] hurt, be as [that] young man [is],
which was tacitly saying he was dead, and so David understood it; and he expressed it in such a manner, that David could not be displeased with the messenger; though the message was grievous to him.