2 Samuel 19:35

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?
• English Standard Version (ESV)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?
• 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?

Context of 2 Samuel 19:35

33The king told Barzillai, “Cross the river with me. I’ll provide for you in Jerusalem.” 34Barzillai replied, “I don’t have much longer to live. I shouldn’t go with Your Majesty to Jerusalem. I’m 80 years old now. How can I tell what is pleasant and what is not? Can I taste what I eat or drink? Can I still hear the singing of men and women? Why should I now become a burden to you, Your Majesty? 36I’ll just cross the Jordan River with you. Why should you give me such a reward? 37Please let me go back so that I can die in my city near the grave of my father and mother. But here is Chimham. Let him go across with you. And do for him what you think is right.”

2 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 injustice on my tongue, or is my mouth unable to tell the difference between right and wrong?
• Job 12:11Doesn’t the ear distinguish sounds and the tongue taste food?
• Hebrews 5:14However, solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to know the difference between good and evil.
• 1 Peter 2:3Certainly you have tasted that the Lord is good!
• Ecclesiastes 12:1Remember your Creator when you are young, before the days of trouble come and the years catch up with you. They will make you say, “I have found no pleasure in them.”
• Ezra 2:65In addition to the male and female servants who numbered 7,337, they also had 200 male and female singers.
• Nehemiah 7:67In addition to the male and female servants who numbered 7,337, they also had 245 male and female singers.
• Exodus 2:8She answered, “Yes!” So the girl brought the baby’s mother.
• Exodus 12:4A household may be too small to eat a whole animal. That household and the one next door can share one animal. Choose your animal based on the number of people and what each person can eat.
• 2 Samuel 13:25“No, Son,” the king answered Absalom. “If we all go, we’ll be a burden to you.” Even when Absalom continued to urge him, David did not want to go, though he did give Absalom his blessing.
• 2 Samuel 15:33David told him, “If you go with me, you will only 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

• Barzillai
• Contentment
• David
• Music
• Old Age
• Taste

In the dictionaries

• Conduct
• Cost
• Lord
• Music
• Barzillai
• Benjamin
• Bible, the
• Burden
• David
• Israel, History of

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