2 Samuel 19:35 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?
2 Samuel 19:35 nkjv
I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?
2 Samuel 19:35 niv
I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
2 Samuel 19:35 esv
I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
2 Samuel 19:35 nlt
I am eighty years old today, and I can no longer enjoy anything. Food and wine are no longer tasty, and I cannot hear the singers as they sing. I would only be a burden to my lord the king.
2 Samuel 19 35 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 47:29-30 | "...do not bury me in Egypt; but when I lie with my fathers..." | Jacob's desire for burial in ancestral land, reflecting personal and family ties. |
| Gen 50:5-6 | "...my father made me swear, saying, ‘Behold, I am dying...’" | Joseph honoring his father's request for burial. |
| Deut 32:29 | "Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" | Call for reflection on life's end and mortality. |
| Job 7:6 | "My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle..." | Expresses the brevity and swiftness of life. |
| Job 12:12 | "With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding." | Acknowledges the wisdom often associated with old age. |
| Job 14:1 | "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble." | Highlights the short, difficult nature of human life. |
| Psa 39:4 | "Lord, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days..." | A prayer for understanding life's finite nature. |
| Psa 39:5 | "...My days are as a handbreadth... Surely every man at his best state is altogether vanity." | Life's brevity and transient nature. |
| Psa 49:10-11 | "For he sees that even wise men die... they call their lands after their own names." | Human mortality despite earthly achievements and possessions. |
| Psa 90:9-10 | "...we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten..." | Life's transient nature and common span of human life. |
| Psa 90:12 | "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." | Prayer for wisdom, recognizing life's brevity. |
| Prov 16:31 | "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." | Valuing wisdom and righteous conduct in old age. |
| Prov 23:4-5 | "Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings..." | Warning against obsessive pursuit of worldly wealth, which is fleeting. |
| Prov 27:1 | "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." | Acknowledging life's uncertainty and not presuming future time. |
| Ecc 1:2 | "Vanity of vanities... All is vanity." | Emphasizes the transient nature of all earthly endeavors. |
| Ecc 12:1-7 | "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth... before the evil days come, when you say, I have no pleasure in them." | Describes the physical decline in old age and the need to seek God early. |
| Isa 38:1 | "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live." | Hezekiah's command to prepare for death. |
| Amos 4:12 | "...prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" | Call for spiritual preparation for facing God. |
| Matt 6:19-21 | "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt..." | Urges focus on heavenly, not earthly, treasures due to their impermanence. |
| Luke 12:16-21 | Parable of the rich fool: "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up... Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." But God said to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee..." | Highlights the folly of earthly planning without consideration of mortality. |
| Jas 4:13-14 | "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." | Life's extreme brevity and unpredictability. |
| 1 Tim 6:7 | "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." | Reminds of the ultimate inability to take worldly possessions into eternity. |
| Heb 9:27 | "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..." | Establishes death as an inevitable appointment for all, followed by judgment. |
2 Samuel 19 verses
2 Samuel 19 35 Meaning
2 Samuel 19:35 describes Barzillai the Gileadite's response to King David's invitation to accompany him to Jerusalem. At 80 years old, Barzillai declines the king's offer, reasoning that his advanced age has rendered him incapable of enjoying life's sensory pleasures or serving the king effectively. He understands the brevity of his remaining days and wishes to return to his own city, Gadish in Gilead, to die there and be buried near his parents, preferring familiar surroundings and a peaceful end to the potential demands and limited enjoyment of court life.
2 Samuel 19 35 Context
The verse is part of the narrative immediately following Absalom's rebellion and David's restoration to the throne. David, returning to Jerusalem after his defeat of Absalom, encounters various figures. Barzillai, a very wealthy and generous old man, had previously provided substantial provisions and support to David and his forces during their exile in Mahanaim (2 Sam 17:27-29). Out of gratitude, King David offers to take Barzillai with him to Jerusalem and provide for him at court. Barzillai's reply in this verse reflects his deep wisdom, self-awareness, and humility, choosing to decline a prestigious offer due to the practical realities of his advanced age and his desire for a peaceful, final return to his homeland.
2 Samuel 19 35 Word analysis
- And Barzillai: The individual in focus. בַּרְזִלַּי֙ (Barzillay) - derived from Hebrew root ברזל (barzel) meaning "iron." His name might reflect his strength, resilience, or perhaps just a family name without direct symbolic meaning related to this context, although it resonates with his strong character.
- said: Simple declaration.
- unto: Direction of speech.
- the king: Referring to David.
- How long: כַּמָּה יְמֵי שְׁנֵי חַיַּי (kammah yemey sheney ḥayyai) - literally "How many are the days of the years of my life?" A rhetorical question emphasizing life's brevity. It implies, "I have very few days left."
- have I to live: חיים (chayyim) - life, existence. Highlights the dwindling time remaining.
- that I should go up: The verb 'go up' (עָלָה,
alah) implies a journey to a higher place, fitting for Jerusalem's elevated geography and its status as the royal capital. - with the king: Indicating accompanying King David.
- unto Jerusalem? יְרוּשָׁלִַם (Yerushalayim) - the city of peace, King David's capital. Symbolizes prestige, power, and activity.
Words-group analysis
- "How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?": This entire rhetorical question is profound. It encapsulates Barzillai's assessment of his mortality against the allure of royal patronage. He weighs the little time he has left against the significance and demands of living in the bustling capital as an esteemed elder, realizing his physical limitations make such an experience unfulfilling. He hints at a deeper, spiritual contemplation of his remaining life.
- "Can your servant discern between good and evil? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women?": These three rhetorical questions highlight the diminishing sensory faculties of old age. "Discerning good and evil" in this context refers to the practical ability to appreciate and distinguish pleasant from unpleasant experiences, not a moral discernment. He admits he can no longer truly enjoy fine food, drink, or music, which were typical courtly delights. This powerfully expresses his unsuitability for court life, where such enjoyments were common and expected. He anticipates being a "burden."
- "Why should your servant be still a burden to my lord the king?": This shows Barzillai's humility, self-awareness, and consideration for David. He recognizes his limitations would make him more a liability than an asset or a joyous companion. This practical wisdom allows him to decline an honorable offer gracefully.
- "Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother.": This expresses a profound desire for home, family roots, and a peaceful end. His priorities have shifted from worldly gain or honor to comfort, familiarity, and a sense of belonging in death. The wish to be buried with his parents highlights deep familial ties and a common ancient desire to rest with one's ancestors, emphasizing spiritual continuity and connection to one's heritage.
2 Samuel 19 35 Bonus section
Barzillai's actions implicitly contrast with the ambition often seen in other figures vying for influence or wealth in David's court. He exemplifies a quiet contentment, acknowledging life's natural progression and aligning his desires with his stage of life. His concern about becoming a "burden" to the king highlights the respectful relationship and social etiquette of the time, where an individual sought to contribute, not simply receive. The detail of wishing to be buried with his parents underscores the strong value placed on ancestral land and family burial plots in ancient Israel, seen as a profound continuation of identity and lineage. This perspective encourages believers to consider their priorities as they age, shifting from worldly gains to spiritual peace and preparation for eternity, understanding that life's greatest honors often lie not in accumulation, but in surrender and acceptance of divine order.
2 Samuel 19 35 Commentary
Barzillai's declining David's offer in 2 Samuel 19:35 is a remarkable display of wisdom, humility, and pragmatism in the face of aging and mortality. Unlike many who might cling to power, prestige, or comfort in their old age, Barzillai wisely assesses his diminished capacities and understands that earthly pleasures are fleeting and no longer provide satisfaction. His rhetorical questions about discerning good from evil, taste, and hearing, perfectly illustrate the physical decline that renders worldly enjoyments meaningless. His focus shifts from the superficial glories of court to the deep, simple desire to die in his own city and be buried with his ancestors. This decision underscores the biblical themes of life's brevity (Psalm 90:10, James 4:14) and the ultimate vanity of earthly pursuits without an eternal perspective (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7, Luke 12:16-21). Barzillai prefers the quiet dignity of his own home and the certainty of his end, prioritizing a peaceful death over any temporary royal favor, becoming a paradigm of one who "numbers his days, that he may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).