2 Samuel 19:35

Contextual Overview

³¹Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the Jordan River to see him off at the Jordan. ³¹ Barzillai the Gil`adite came down from Roglim; and he went over the Yarden with the king, to conduct him over the Yarden. ³¹ And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. ³¹ Then Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and crossed with the king over the Jordan to escort him through the Jordan. ³¹ Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. ³¹ Barzillai of Gilead came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan River with the king. 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. ³¹Now Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went on to the Jordan with the king to escort him 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 Then Barzillai the Gileadite came downe from Rogelim, & went ouer Iorden with the king, to conduct him ouer Iorden.

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
They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

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.

Genesis 19:11
And the men who were at the entrance of the house they struck with blindness, both small and great, and they were unable to find the entrance.

Genesis 19:11
They struck those outside the door with blindness, so the men, both young and old, could not find the door.

Genesis 19:11
Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, with blindness. The men outside wore themselves out trying to find the door.

Genesis 19:11
They struck (punished) the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, from the young men to the old men, so that they exhausted themselves trying to find the doorway.

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

Genesis 19:11
Then they smote the men that were at the doore of the house with blindnes both small and great, so that they were wearie in seeking the doore.

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
Then they struck everyone in the crowd blind, and none of them could even 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.