2 Samuel 19:37
in 2 Samuel 19Please 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.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 19
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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 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.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
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 & Brown1802–1910
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 & 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).
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָֽשָׁב־ | yashov- | let him return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| נָ֤א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֙ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וְאָמֻ֣ת | veamut | so I may die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| בְּעִירִ֔י | beiri | in own city my | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| עִ֛ם | ʾim | near | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| קֶ֥בֶר | kever | [the] grave of | H6913 → | 67 times |
| אָבִ֖י | ʾavi | father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְאִמִּ֑י | veimi | and mother my | H517 → | 220 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ | vehineh | and here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֣ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| כִמְהָ֗ם | khimham | Kimham | H3643 → | 3 times |
| יַֽעֲבֹר֙ | yaavor | let him pass over | H5674 → | 556 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֣י | ʾadoni | lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וַעֲשֵׂה־ | vaaseh- | and do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| ל֕וֹ | lo | for <the> him | ||
| אֵ֥ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ט֖וֹב | tov | it is good | H2895 → | 45 times |
| בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ ס | beeineikha | in view your | H5869 → | 887 times |
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 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
1 Kings 2:7But 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.
- 2 Samuel 17:27–29
Through
Jeremiah 41:17And 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…
- Jeremiah 42:14
Through
Genesis 47:30but 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.
- Genesis 49:29–32
About 2 Samuel

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.
