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 your loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked Hushai. “Why didn’t you go with your friend?” 18“Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him. Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.” 20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do?” 21Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.”

2 Samuel 16:19 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And againשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145
• whom should I serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• in the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• of his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• in thy father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• so will I be in thy presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:19

• 2 Samuel 15:34but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me.
• 1 Samuel 28:2David replied to Achish, “Good, you will find out what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.”
• 1 Samuel 29:8“But what have I done?” David replied to Achish. “From the first day I entered your service until today, what have you found against your servant to keep me from going to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
• Psalms 55:21His buttery words are smooth, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.
• Galatians 2:13Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

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