2 Samuel 16:19

2 Samuel 16:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.
• New International Version (NIV)Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

Context of 2 Samuel 16:19

17“Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?” 18“Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by this people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain. Furthermore, whom should I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours.” 20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?” 21Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

2 Samuel 16:19 word by word

וְהַשֵּׁנִ֗ית לְמִי֙ אֲנִ֣י אֶֽעֱבֹ֔ד הֲל֖וֹא לִפְנֵ֣י בְנ֑וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָבַ֙דְתִּי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ כֵּ֖ן אֶהְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ פRead the interlinear

• Furthermoreשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• whomמִיmîy · who?H4310
• should Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
• serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• if notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Asכַּאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · as whichH834
• in your father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• so alsoכֵּןkên · soH3651
• I will serveהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• in yoursפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:19

• 2 Samuel 15:34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
• 1 Samuel 28:2David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
• 1 Samuel 29:8“But what have I done?” David replied. “What have you found against your servant, from the day I came to you until today, to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
• Psalms 55:21His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
• Galatians 2:13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16:19

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 The wisest counsellors of that age were Ahithophel and Hushai: Absalom thinks himself sure of success, when he has both; on them he relies, and consults not the ark, though he had that with him. But miserable counsellors were they both. Hushai would never counsel him to do wisely. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly; and so did as effectually betray him, as he did, who was designedly false to him: for they that advise men to sin…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19whom should I serve: (literally and second, to whom will I do service? Not before his son?): The unclear language continues. Hushai expressed his loyalty as a question, not a promise. He intended to serve David while tricking Absalom into believing he had switched sides. Similarly, As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours literally means, as I served before your father, so I will [serve your father] before you.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1915-19. Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king--Hushai's devotion to David was so well-known, that his presence in the camp of the conspirators excited great surprise. Professing, however, with great address, to consider it his duty to support the cause which the course of Providence and the national will had seemingly decreed should triumph, and urging his friendship for the father as a ground of confidence in his fidelity to the son, he persuaded…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 16:19

• Deception
• Diplomacy
• Falsehood
• Hushai

In the dictionaries

• Bible, the
• David
• Horse
• Hushai
• Israel, History of
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings