the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Read the Bible
2 Samuel 19:35
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalContextual Overview
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And thei smyten with blyndenesse hem that weren withoutforth, fro the leest til to the moost; so that thei myyten not fynde the dore.
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.
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.