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 way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?” 18“I’m here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the Lord and by all the men of Israel,” Hushai replied. “And anyway, why shouldn’t I serve you? Just as I was your father’s adviser, now I will be your adviser!” 20Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?” 21Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.”

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 15:34Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.
• 1 Samuel 28:2“Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.” Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”
• 1 Samuel 29:8“What have I done to deserve this treatment?” David demanded. “What have you ever found in your servant, that I can’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?”
• Psalms 55:21His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!
• Galatians 2:13As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and 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