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2 Samuel 19:37

in 2 Samuel 19

Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

KJV

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

This verse in 2 Samuel 19

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
Chimham - From marginal references it appears that Chimham, having accepted David’s offer, came and settled near Bethlehem. His house was still called after him at the time of the captivity.

This site's exposition

How many years of my life remain

on 2 Samuel 19:34-37

Barzillai asks, “How many years of my life remain, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?” At eighty he can no longer taste his food or hear the singers at court. He asks to die in his own city near the tomb of his father and mother.

This site's exposition

the tomb of my father

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note the strong attachment of Eastern families to their own burial places. John Wesley has him going home to die in his nest. Adam Clarke takes Chimham for Barzillai's son, which fits David's dying charge at 1 Kings 2:7 to show kindness to Barzillai's sons.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

He desires the king to be kind to his son Chimham: Let him go over with my lord the king, and have preferment at court. What favour is done to him Barzillai will take as done to himself. Those that are old must not grudge young people those delights which they themselves are past the enjoyment of, nor confine them to their retirements.

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

That I may die in mine own city - That my bones may with little ado, be carried to the place of their rest. The grave is ready for me: let me go and get ready for it, go and die in my nest.
Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

buried by the grave of my father and of my mother--This is an instance of the strong affection of people in the East towards the places of sepulture appropriated to their families.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

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 in perpetuity (Jer 41:17).
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Thy servant Chimham - It is generally understood that this was Barzillai’s son; and this is probable from 1Ki 2:7, where, when David was dying, he said, Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai: and it is very probable that this Chimham was one of them. In Jer 41:17 mention is made of the habitation of Chimham, which was near to Bethlehem; and it is reasonably conjectured that David had left that portion, which was probably a part of his paternal estate, to this son of Barzillai.

The words behind it

22 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • יָֽשָׁב־let him return

    yashov-H7725 →1056 times

  • נָ֤אplease

    na'H4994 →404 times

  • עַבְדְּךָ֙servant your

    ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times

  • וְאָמֻ֣תso I may die

    veamutH4191 →839 times

  • בְּעִירִ֔יin own city my

    beiriH5892 →1090 times

  • עִ֛םnear

    ʾimH5973 →1050 times

  • קֶ֥בֶר[the] grave of

    keverH6913 →67 times

  • אָבִ֖יfather my

    ʾaviH1 →1212 times

  • וְאִמִּ֑יand mother my

    veimiH517 →220 times

  • וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀and here!

    vehinehH2009 →843 times

  • עַבְדְּךָ֣servant your

    ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times

  • כִמְהָ֗םKimham

    khimhamH3643 →3 times

  • יַֽעֲבֹר֙let him pass over

    yaavorH5674 →556 times

  • עִם־with

    ʾim-H5973 →1050 times

  • אֲדֹנִ֣יlord my

    ʾadoniH113 →333 times

  • הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • וַעֲשֵׂה־and do

    vaaseh-H6213 →2628 times

  • ל֕וֹfor <the> him

    lo

  • אֵ֥ת<obj.>

    ʾetH853 →10935 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־[that] which

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • ט֖וֹבit is good

    tovH2895 →45 times

  • בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ סin view your

    beeineikhaH5869 →887 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Kings 2:7

    But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 17:27–29

      When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.

    • 2 Samuel 9:7

      “Do not be afraid,” said David, “for surely I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you…

    • 2 Samuel 9:10

      You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is…

    • 2 Samuel 19:31–40

      Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send him on his way from there.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 41:17

    And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, near Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 42:14

      and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for…

    • 2 Samuel 19:37–38

      Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord…

  • Through

    Genesis 47:30

    but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.” Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”

    it leads to

    • Genesis 49:29–32

      Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite.

    • Genesis 23:19

      After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

About 2 Samuel

David Mourns the Death of Absalom — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
David Mourns the Death of Absalom — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.