2 Samuel 16:19
in 2 Samuel 16Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
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.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 16
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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 Absalom of his sincerity, and was admitted among the councillors of the new king.
This site's exposition
God save the king
on 2 Samuel 16:16-19
Hushai's greeting doubles the very words Israel first shouted over Saul at his coronation, God save the king, God save the king, and this is the phrase's second occurrence in Scripture. He says it to Absalom's face while remaining David's man in his heart, and his answer at verse eighteen, whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, is built to let Absalom hear one name while Hushai means another. The older commentators call the dissimulation itself a kind of warfare, fought with words rather than a sword, waged on David's behalf inside the enemy's own council.
This site's exposition
whom should I serve
Hushai asks whom he should serve if not the son. He offers Absalom the service he gave in his father's presence. A throne founded in sin, Matthew Henry says, is founded in sand.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thus he pretended to give reasons for a resolution he abhorred the thought of. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly, and so did as effectually betray him as he did who was designedly false to him; for those that advise men to sin certainly advise them to their hurt; and that government which is founded in sin is founded in the sand.
And again, whom should I serve?....
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַשֵּׁנִ֗ית | vehashenit | and the second [thing] | H8145 → | 156 times |
| לְמִי֙ | lemi | <to> whom? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| אֲנִ֣י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| אֶֽעֱבֹ֔ד | ʾeevod | will I serve | H5647 → | 288 times |
| הֲל֖וֹא | halo' | ¿ not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| בְנ֑וֹ | veno | son his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָבַ֙דְתִּי֙ | ʾavadti | I served | H5647 → | 288 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אָבִ֔יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| כֵּ֖ן | ken | so | H3651 → | 771 times |
| אֶהְיֶ֥ה | ʾehyeh | I will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ פ | lifaneikha | <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
וְהַשֵּׁנִ֗יתand the second [thing]
vehashenitH8145 →156 times
לְמִי֙<to> whom?
lemiH4310 →423 times
אֲנִ֣יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
אֶֽעֱבֹ֔דwill I serve
ʾeevodH5647 →288 times
הֲל֖וֹא¿ not
halo'H3808 →5168 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
בְנ֑וֹson his
venoH1121 →4930 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֤רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
עָבַ֙דְתִּי֙I served
ʾavadtiH5647 →288 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
אָבִ֔יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
כֵּ֖ןso
kenH3651 →771 times
אֶהְיֶ֥הI will be
ʾehyehH1961 →3559 times
לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ פ<to> before you
lifaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Psalms 55:21His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
it leads to
- Psalms 57:4
My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts— with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
- Proverbs 5:3–4
Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil,
- Psalms 28:3
Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.
- Proverbs 26:28
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
- Psalms 12:2
They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Psalms 57:4
Through
Galatians 2:13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to…
- 1 Corinthians 15:33
Through
1 Samuel 28:2David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 16:16–19
And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 16:16–19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.