English Standard Version
2 Samuel 19:35
35I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
2 Samuel 19:35 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
- New International Version (NIV)I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
- New King James Version (NKJV)I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?
- New Living Translation (NLT)I am eighty years old today, and I can no longer enjoy anything. Food and wine are no longer tasty, and I cannot hear the singers as they sing. I would only be a burden to my lord the king.
Context of 2 Samuel 19:35
33And the king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem." 34But Barzillai said to the king, "How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you."
Read all of 2 Samuel 192 Samuel 19:35 word by word
בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֣ים שָׁנָה֩ אָנֹכִ֨י הַיּ֜וֹם הַאֵדַ֣ע׀ בֵּין־ט֣וֹב לְרָ֗ע אִם־יִטְעַ֤ם עַבְדְּךָ֙ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֹכַל֙ וְאֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁתֶּ֔ה אִם־אֶשְׁמַ֣ע ע֔וֹד בְּק֖וֹל שָׁרִ֣ים וְשָׁר֑וֹת וְלָמָּה֩ יִֽהְיֶ֨ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ עוֹד֙ לְמַשָּׂ֔א אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- fourscoreשְׁמֹנִיםshemônîym shemônîym · eightyH8084
- yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
- can I discernיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- between goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
- and evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
- can thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- tasteטָעַםţâ‛am · to perceiveH2938
- whatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- I eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- I drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- can I hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- any more the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- of singing menשִׁירshîyr shûr · to singH7891
- be yet a burdenמַשָּׂאmaώώâ' · burdenH4853
- unto my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 19:35
- Job 6:30Is there any injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?
- Job 12:11Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?
- Hebrews 5:14But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
- 1 Peter 2:3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
- Ecclesiastes 12:1Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";
- Ezra 2:65besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers.
- Nehemiah 7:67besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female.
- Exodus 2:8And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the girl went and called the child's mother.
- Exodus 12:4And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
- 2 Samuel 13:25But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you." He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing.
- 2 Samuel 15:33David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 19:35
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 35Can thy servant taste what I eat - Here is at once an affecting description of the infirmities of old age; and a correct account of the mode of living at an Eastern court in ancient times. Barzillai was fourscore years old; his ear was become dull of hearing, and his relish for his food was gone: he therefore appears to have been not only an old man, but an infirm old man. Besides delicate meats and drinks, we find that vocal music constituted a principal…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 31-39Verses 31-39 Barzillai thought he had done himself honour in doing the king any service. Thus, when the saints shall be called to inherit the kingdom, they will be amazed at the recompence being so very far beyond the service, Mt 25:37. A good man would not go any where to be burdensome; or, will rather be so to his own house than to another's. It is good for all, but especially becomes old people, to think and speak much of dying. The grave is ready for…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-40Barzillai was old and weak, so he turned down David's invitation to the royal court in Jerusalem. This invitation was a reward for Barzillai's help. Instead, David took Barzillai’s son Kimham (see also 1 Kings 2:7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-4031-40. Barzillai the Gileadite--The rank, great age, and chivalrous devotion of this Gileadite chief wins our respect. His declining to go to court, his recommendation of his son, his convoy across the Jordan, and his parting scene with the king, are interesting incidents. What mark of royal favor was bestowed on Chimham has not been recorded; but it is probable that David gave a great part of his personal patrimony in Beth-lehem to Chimham and his heirs…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 19:35
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 19
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries