2 Samuel 16:19

JPS Old Testament

And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.”

Hebrew Names Version
Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn't I serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence.

King James Version
And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

Lexham English Bible
Furthermore, for whom have I served? Is it not in the presence of his son that I have served before your father? So shall I serve you!"

English Standard Version
And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you."

New Century Version
In the past I served your father. So whom should I serve now? David's son! I will serve you as I served him."

New English Translation
Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you."

Amplified Bible
"Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of David's son? As I have served in your father's presence, so I shall serve in your presence."

New American Standard Bible
"Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father's presence, so I shall be in your presence."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And moreouer vnto whome shall I doe seruice? not to his sonne? as I serued before thy father, so will I before thee.

Legacy Standard Bible
Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so I will be in your presence."

Contemporary English Version
Besides, it seems right for me to serve you, just as I served your father."

Complete Jewish Bible
Moreover, whom should I serve? Shouldn't I serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence."

Darby Translation
And again, whom should I serve? should it not be in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

Easy-to-Read Version
In the past, I served your father. So now I will serve you, David's son."

George Lamsa Translation
And again, whom should I serve? I have no choice. As I have served in your fathers presence, so will I serve before you.

Good News Translation
After all, whom should I serve, if not my master's son? As I served your father, so now I will serve you."

Literal Translation
And a second time, Whom should I serve? Should I not serve before the face of his son. As I served before the face of your father, so shall I be before your face.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Secondly, whom shulde I serue? Shulde I not do seruyce before his sonne? Like as I haue serued in the presence of thy father, so wyll I do seruyce before the also.

American Standard Version
And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

Bible in Basic English
And more than this! where is my place as a servant? is it not before his son? as I have been your father's servant, so will I be yours.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And moreouer, vnto whom shal I do seruice? not to his sonne? And as I was seruaunt before thy father, so will I before thee.

King James Version (1611)
And againe, whom should I serue? should I not serue in the presence of his sonne? as I haue serued in thy fathers presence, so will I be in thy presence.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And again, whom shall I serve? should I not in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of thy father, so will I be in thy presence.

English Revised Version
And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.

Berean Standard Bible
Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father's presence, so also I will serve in yours."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But that Y seie also this, to whom schal Y serue? whethir not to the sone of the kyng? as Y obeiede to thi fadir, so Y schal obeie to thee.

Young's Literal Translation
and secondly, for whom do I labour? is it not before his son? as I served before thy father so am I before thee.'

Update Bible Version
And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in your father's presence, so I will be in your presence.

Webster's Bible Translation
And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

World English Bible
Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn't I serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence.

New King James Version
"Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence."

New Living Translation
"And anyway, why shouldn't I serve you? Just as I was your father's adviser, now I will be your adviser!"

New Life Bible
And whom should I serve? Should I not serve his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you."

New Revised Standard
Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I have served your father, so I will serve you."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, again, whom, should, I serve? Should it not be in presence of his son? as I served in presence of thy father, so, will I continue thy presence.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Besides this, whom shall I serve? is it not the king’s son? as I have served thy father, so will I serve thee also.

Revised Standard Version
And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so I will be in your presence."

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ¹⁶ And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom: 'Long live the king, long live the king.' ¹⁷ And Absalom said to Hushai: 'Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?' ¹⁸ And Hushai said unto Absalom: 'Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide. ¹⁹ And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.' ²⁰ Then said Absalom to Ahithophel: 'Give your counsel what we shall do.' ²¹ And Ahithophel said unto Absalom: 'Go in unto thy father's concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father; then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.' ²² So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.-- ²³ Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

should I not serve: 2 Samuel 15:34, 1 Samuel 28:2, 1 Samuel 29:8, Psalms 55:21, Galatians 2:13

Reciprocal: Joshua 2:4 - General 2 Kings 6:19 - I will bring

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And again, whom should I serve?.... Or "secondly" e, a second reason is here given for serving Absalom: the first was the choice of God and the people, the second follows:

[should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence: he signifies, that as the kingdom was not translated into another family, but continued in succession in David's house, the alteration made was of no great consequence; it was indifferent to him whom he served, the father or the son; and he could as freely, and would as faithfully serve the son as the father; nor did he think it any breach of friendship to David, nor would David resent it, that he should serve his son, and do the best offices, and give him the best counsel he could; and he seems to bespeak the office of a counsellor, in which he had been to David, that he might be admitted into the presence of Absalom, and be of his privy council, and have the opportunity of giving his best advice.

e השנית "secunda", Montanus, Munster, Vatablus; "secundo", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.