2 Samuel 19 37

2 Samuel 19:37 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.

2 Samuel 19:37 nkjv

Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave 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 seems good to you."

2 Samuel 19:37 niv

Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish."

2 Samuel 19:37 esv

Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you."

2 Samuel 19:37 nlt

Then let me return again to die in my own town, where my father and mother are buried. But here is your servant, my son Kimham. Let him go with my lord the king and receive whatever you want to give him."

2 Samuel 19 verses

2 Samuel 19 37 Meaning

This verse conveys the heartfelt request of Barzillai, an aged Gileadite, to King David. Having demonstrated profound loyalty and provided extensive aid to David during Absalom's rebellion, Barzillai respectfully declines David's offer of continued hospitality and honor in Jerusalem. Instead, he humbly expresses his singular desire: to return to his own city in Gilead so that he may live out his few remaining days and be buried beside his parents, finding final rest among his familial heritage. It is a profound expression of contentment, humility, and the deep cultural significance of ancestral burial.

2 Samuel 19 37 Context

This verse occurs as King David returns to Jerusalem after successfully quelling Absalom’s rebellion. During David’s arduous flight from Jerusalem, Barzillai, a wealthy and influential Gileadite from Rogelim, generously provided sustenance and shelter for David and his loyal followers in Mahanaim (2 Sam 17:27-29). As David crossed the Jordan to return, Barzillai escorted him. In recognition of Barzillai’s profound loyalty and invaluable aid, David invited the elderly man to live with him in Jerusalem, promising him lifelong provision and honor (2 Sam 19:33). However, Barzillai, at eighty years of age (2 Sam 19:35), declined the king's grand offer. Verse 37 specifically details Barzillai's humble refusal, rooted in his advanced age, desire for a simple return to his hometown, and his poignant wish to be buried with his deceased parents. His wisdom is evident in his choice of familiar comfort and the perpetuation of his legacy through his son, Chimham, whom he suggests go with the king instead (2 Sam 19:38).

2 Samuel 19 37 Word analysis

• Let your servant return again:

  • Servant (עֶבֶד, 'eved): Here, not a slave, but a formal and humble self-designation adopted by a subordinate or subject addressing a superior (the King). It indicates deference, loyalty, and respectful humility towards David, rather than a literal status of servitude. It emphasizes Barzillai's recognition of David's kingship and his place as a subject.
  • Return (אָשׁוּבָה, 'ashuvah): Implies going back to his established home, life, and routine. For an elderly person, this signifies a desire for familiar comfort, peace, and the customary environment where he has spent his life, as opposed to starting a new life at court, however grand.
  • Again: Emphasizes the restoration of his previous condition and place.

• that I may die:

  • Die (אָמוּת, 'amut): A direct and frank acknowledgment of his advanced age and impending mortality. This is not a wish for death but a realistic assessment of his life's end being near, emphasizing the limited time he has left. It reflects his contentment with the end of his days, seeking only a specific setting for it.

• in my own city:

  • My own city (בְּעִירִי, b'iri): Refers to Rogelim in Gilead (cf. 2 Sam 17:27). This phrase signifies the importance of his homeland, community, and personal roots. It is a preference for the familiar, secure, and meaningful environment over the dazzling yet perhaps unsettling life at the royal court. It embodies a longing for identity tied to a specific place.

• near the grave of my father and my mother:

  • Grave (קֶבֶר, kever): The place of burial. This detail is paramount in ancient Near Eastern culture.
  • Father and my mother (אָבִי וְאִמִּי, avi v'immi): The deeply personal and familial connection. The desire to be buried alongside one's parents was a profound cultural, social, and spiritual aspiration in ancient Israel. It reflected the continuity of family lineage, the hope of resting with one’s kin, and belonging within the tribal and familial heritage. It implies an unbroken chain of ancestry and an attachment to family tradition. It suggests a desire for final rest and solidarity with those who came before him. This reflects not just a personal sentiment but a widely held cultural value stressing collective identity and an anticipation of future destiny with one's people.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Let your servant return again, that I may die": This phrase captures Barzillai's humble acceptance of his mortality and his earnest desire to face his final moments within his personal, established world. It highlights his perspective that royal patronage cannot extend beyond death's inevitability.
  • "in my own city, near the grave of my father and my mother": This segment is a poignant articulation of a deeply ingrained cultural and personal value. It expresses a strong connection to place, heritage, and family lineage, prioritizing final rest among his ancestors over any earthly reward. It speaks to a profound sense of belonging and the sacredness of family bonds, even beyond life.

2 Samuel 19 37 Bonus section

• Barzillai’s age (80 years, mentioned in verse 35) significantly informs his request, highlighting his weariness with worldly affairs and his clear focus on spiritual and familial rest.
• His decision reflects a contrast to the common human pursuit of power and recognition, particularly vivid when set against Absalom's boundless ambition earlier in the narrative. Barzillai sought a peaceful end, not continued prominence.
• The desire for ancestral burial was more than a custom; it was tied to the concept of one's place within the covenant community and an implied hope in a future shared destiny, possibly even resurrection alongside one’s people.
• David honored Barzillai's loyalty by instructing Solomon, on his deathbed, to show kindness to Barzillai’s descendants, ensuring his lasting legacy (1 Kgs 2:7). This demonstrates the lasting impression Barzillai’s integrity and kindness had on the king.

2 Samuel 19 37 Commentary

Barzillai's request in 2 Samuel 19:37 stands as a powerful testament to contentment, humility, and the deep cultural significance of familial heritage in ancient Israel. Having generously supported King David, Barzillai declines the king’s tempting offer of lifelong luxury and honor in Jerusalem, choosing instead the quiet dignity of his own home. His reasoning — his extreme old age and the yearning to die and be buried near his parents — reveals a profound wisdom. He understood that earthly rewards, however grand, are temporary. His true desire was to return to his roots, find final peace among his ancestors, and fulfill the ancient Israelite value of communal rest in death. This act underlines the cultural importance of ancestral burial as a marker of identity, continuity, and belonging within the covenant people, showing that for some, loyalty to lineage and place surpassed even royal patronage.