2 Samuel 19:35
in 2 Samuel 19I am now eighty years old. Can I discern what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I am this day fourscore years old: can I discern between good and bad? 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?
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?
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This verse in 2 Samuel 19
Commentary
8 notes on this verseCan 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.
This site's exposition
How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king
on 2 Samuel 19:34-37
Barzillai declines the king's offer on the ground of age alone, fourscore years old and past discerning good from evil, unable to taste what he eats or hear the singers who would perform at court. Henry reads his speech as a pattern for old age generally, dead to the delights of sense that once moved him, asking only to die in his own city and be buried by his father's grave. He asks nothing for himself and everything for Chimham, who goes over with the king in his place.
This site's exposition
singing men and women
At eighty, Barzillai says he can no longer enjoy the singing men and women. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that singers were a regular part of an Eastern court, and Adam Clarke reads the verse as a picture of court life and of old age. John Wesley says his senses had grown dull.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Dainties are insipid when desire fails, and songs to the aged ear are little better than those sung to a heavy heart, very disagreeable: how should they be otherwise when the daughters of music are brought low? Let those that are old learn of Barzillai to be dead to the delights of sense; let grace second nature, and make a virtue of the necessity.
I am, &c. - My senses are grown dull, and incapable of relishing the pleasures of a court. I am past taking pleasures in delicious tastes, or sweet musick, and other such delights.
I am this day fourscore years old,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the voice of singing men and singing women--Bands of professional musicians form a prominent appendage to the courts of Oriental princes.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
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).
The words behind it
32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [am] a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שְׁמֹנִ֣ים | shemonim | eighty | H8084 → | |
| שָׁנָה֩ | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| אָנֹכִ֨י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| הַיּ֜וֹם | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַאֵדַ֣ע׀ | haeda' | ¿ do I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| בֵּין־ | bein- | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| ט֣וֹב | tov | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| לְרָ֗ע | lera' | and evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | or? | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יִטְעַ֤ם | yitam | will he taste | H2938 → | |
| עַבְדְּךָ֙ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֹכַל֙ | ʾokhal | I will eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֶשְׁתֶּ֔ה | ʾeshteh | I will drink | H8354 → | 217 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | or? | H518 → | 1069 times |
| אֶשְׁמַ֣ע | ʾeshma' | will I hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| ע֔וֹד | od | still | H5750 → | 490 times |
| בְּק֖וֹל | bekol | <in> [the] voice of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| שָׁרִ֣ים | sharim | [male] singers | H7891 → | |
| וְשָׁר֑וֹת | vesharot | and female singers | H7891 → | |
| וְלָמָּה֩ | velamah | and <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יִֽהְיֶ֨ה | yihyeh | will he become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֥ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| עוֹד֙ | ʾod | still | H5750 → | 490 times |
| לְמַשָּׂ֔א | lemasa' | <into> a burden | H4853 → | |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֖י | ʾadoni | lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
בֶּן־[am] a son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
שְׁמֹנִ֣יםeighty
shemonimH8084 →
שָׁנָה֩year[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
אָנֹכִ֨יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
הַיּ֜וֹםthis day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַאֵדַ֣ע׀¿ do I know
haeda'H3045 →945 times
בֵּין־between
bein-H996 →407 times
ט֣וֹבgood
tovH2896 →538 times
לְרָ֗עand evil
lera'H7451 →662 times
אִם־or?
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יִטְעַ֤םwill he taste
yitamH2938 →
עַבְדְּךָ֙servant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁ֤ר[that] which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֹכַל֙I will eat
ʾokhalH398 →810 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁ֣ר[that] which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֶשְׁתֶּ֔הI will drink
ʾeshtehH8354 →217 times
אִם־or?
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
אֶשְׁמַ֣עwill I hear
ʾeshma'H8085 →1159 times
ע֔וֹדstill
odH5750 →490 times
בְּק֖וֹל<in> [the] voice of
bekolH6963 →506 times
שָׁרִ֣ים[male] singers
sharimH7891 →
וְשָׁר֑וֹתand female singers
vesharotH7891 →
וְלָמָּה֩and <to> why?
velamahH4100 →752 times
יִֽהְיֶ֨הwill he become
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
עַבְדְּךָ֥servant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
עוֹד֙still
ʾodH5750 →490 times
לְמַשָּׂ֔א<into> a burden
lemasa'H4853 →
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֲדֹנִ֖יlord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 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 90:10The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
it leads to
- James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
- Psalms 78:39
He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
- Deuteronomy 34:7
Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not diminished.
- Genesis 47:9
“My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”
- 1 Kings 1:1
Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm.
- James 4:14
Through
Nehemiah 7:67in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers.
it leads to
- Ezra 2:65
in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers.
- Isaiah 45:1–2
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates…
- Ezra 2:65
Through
Ezra 2:65in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 2:8
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
- Ecclesiastes 2:8
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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.