2 Samuel 19:35

Contextual Overview

³¹Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. ³¹ Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. ³¹Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he passed over the Jordan with the king in order to send him off over the Jordan. ³¹ Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to escort him over the Jordan. ³¹ And Barzellai ye Gileadite came downe from Roglim, and went ouer Iordane with the king, to conduct him ouer Iordane. ³¹ Barzillai of Gilead came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan River with King David and send him on his way home. ³¹ And Barzillai the Gileadite had gone down from Rogelim and had crossed over the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan. ³¹ Now Barzil'lai the Gileadite had come down from Ro'gelim; and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. ³¹ Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan. ³¹ And Barzillai the Gileadite came downe from Rogelim, and went ouer Iordane with the king, to conduct him ouer Iordane.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

can I discern: Job 6:30, Job 12:11, Hebrews 5:14, 1 Peter 2:3

taste: Ecclesiastes 12:1-5

I hear: Ezra 2:65, Nehemiah 7:67, Exodus 2:8, Exodus 12:4

a burden: 2 Samuel 13:25, 2 Samuel 15:33

Reciprocal: Psalms 71:9 - when Psalms 90:10 - yet Ecclesiastes 2:8 - men singers Ecclesiastes 12:4 - all Luke 7:25 - are in

Cross-References

Genesis 19:11
Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.

Genesis 19:11
Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.

Genesis 19:11
And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, from small to great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway.

Genesis 19:11
They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway.

Genesis 19:11
And the men that were at the doore of the house they smoke with blyndenesse both small and great, so that they were weryed in sekyng the doore.

Genesis 19:11
Then they did something to the men outside the door—they caused all these evil men, young and old, to become blind. So the men trying to get in the house could not find the door.

Genesis 19:11
And they struck with blindness the men who were at the door of the house, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves groping for the door.

Genesis 19:11
And thei smyten with blyndenesse hem that weren withoutforth, fro the leest til to the moost; so that thei myyten not fynde the dore.

Genesis 19:11
And they smote the men that were at the doore of the house, with blindnes, both small and great: so that they wearied themselues to finde the doore.

Genesis 19:11
And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I [am] this day fourscore years old,.... Not that that day was precisely his birthday, but that he was about such an age, very little under or over; very probably he was full that age:

[and] can I discern between good and evil? signifying, either that his intellectual powers were impaired, and could not distinguish what was right and wrong, and so could be of no service to David in his privy council, or any court of judicature, he was fit for no post or office under him; or that his natural senses were not quick to distinguish between good and bad, particularly between good and bad food, which he could neither discern by smell nor taste, as follows:

can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? have any gust or relish of, or take any delight or pleasure in eating and drinking; so that the most delicious food, and richest wines, and all the dainties of a king's table, would signify nothing to him:

can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? either being so deaf that he could not hear them at all, or however not with any delight; the evil days being come upon him, in which he could take no pleasure in the diversions of a court:

wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? he could neither take any pleasure himself, nor be of any service to the king, but on the contrary a burden to him; not only on account of his sustenance, and being obliged to have servants to attend him, which might be the least part of his burden, but his company would be disagreeable and troublesome, through the infirmities of old age upon him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 19:35. Can 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. Besides delicate meats and drinks, we find that vocal music constituted a principal part of court entertainments: male and female singers made a necessary appendage to these banquets, as they do in most Eastern courts to the present day. As David was a most sublime poet, and emphatically styled the sweet singer of Israel, he no doubt had his court well supplied with vocal as well as instrumental performers; and, probably, with poets and poetesses; for it is not likely that he was the only poet of his time, though he undoubtedly was the most excellent.