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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:31 - 19:31
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Barzillai comes to greet David. - 2Sa 19:31. Barzillai the octogenarian “had also come down from Roglim and gone across the Jordan with the king, to escort him over the river.” אֶת־בַּיַרְדֵּן is the portion in, or over, the Jordan. אֶת is the sign of the accusative, “the piece in the Jordan,” and no further. This is the correct explanation as given by Böttcher, after Gesenius and Maurer; and the Keri הַיַּרְדֵּן is a bad emendation.
2Sa 19:32-37
As Barzillai had supplied the king with provisions during his stay in Mahanaim (שִׁיבָה for יְשִׁיבָה, like צֹואָה for יְצֹואה, and other words of the same kind), because he was very wealthy (lit. great), David would gladly have taken him with him to Jerusalem, to repay him there for his kindness; but Barzillai replied (2Sa 19:34.), “How many days are there of the years of my life (i.e., how long shall I have yet to live), that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I am now eighty years old; can I (still) distinguish good and evil, or will thy servant taste what I eat and drink, or listen again to the voice of the singing men and singing women? and why should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? Thy servant would go over the Jordan with the king for a short time (i.e., could not remain long with him), and why does the king wish to repay me this favour?” יָשָׁב־נָא: “Let thy servant return, that I may die in my city (my home), at the grave of my parents; and behold thy servant Chimham (i.e., according to the explanation given by Josephus, Barzillai's son, who had come down with his father, as we may infer from 1Ki 2:7) may go over with my lord the king; and do to him what seemeth good to thee,” i.e., show him favours at thy pleasure.
2Sa 19:38
David consented to this, and said, “All that thou desirest of me I will do to him.” בָּחַר with עַל is a pregnant construction, signifying to choose and impose, “choose upon me,” i.e., the thing for me to grant thee.
2Sa 19:39
Thus all the people went over the Jordan; and when the king had crossed over, he kissed Barzillai (to take leave of him: vid., Rth 1:9); and he (Barzillai) blessed him, and turned to his place (returned home). Barzillai only escorted the king over the Jordan, and the conversation (2Sa 19:31-38) probably took place as they were crossing.