2 Samuel 19:31-39
New American Standard Bible
31 Now (A)Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to [a]escort him over the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was very old: eighty years old; and he had (B)provided the king food while he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33 So the king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me, and I will provide you food in Jerusalem with me.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “(C)How long [b]do I still have to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am [c]now (D)eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I still hear (E)the voice of men and women singing? (F)Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. So why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37 Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant (G)Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you [d]require of me, I will do for you.” 39 All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then (H)kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.
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- 2 Samuel 19:31 Lit send
- 2 Samuel 19:34 Lit are the days of the years of my life
- 2 Samuel 19:35 Lit today
- 2 Samuel 19:38 Lit choose
2 Samuel 19:31-39
New English Translation
31 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there.[a] 32 But Barzillai was very old—eighty years old, in fact—and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich[b] man. 33 So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”
34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am now eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I[c] taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I[d] continue to be a burden to my lord the king? 36 I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance.[e] Why should the king reward me in this way? 37 Let me[f] return so that I may die in my own town near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”
38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”
39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home.[g]
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- 2 Samuel 19:31 tc The MT reading אֶת־בַיַּרְדֵּן (ʾet vayyarden, “in the Jordan”) is odd syntactically. The use of the preposition after the object marker אֶת (ʾet) is difficult to explain. Graphic confusion is likely in the MT; the translation assumes the reading מִיַּרְדֵּן (miyyarden, “from the Jordan”). Another possibility is to read the definite article on the front of “Jordan” (הַיַּרְדֵּן, hayyarden; “the Jordan”).
- 2 Samuel 19:32 tn Heb “great.”
- 2 Samuel 19:35 tn Heb “your servant.”
- 2 Samuel 19:35 tn Heb “your servant.”
- 2 Samuel 19:36 tn Heb “Like a little your servant will cross the Jordan with the king.”
- 2 Samuel 19:37 tn Heb “your servant.”
- 2 Samuel 19:39 tn Heb “to his place.”
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