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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:31-39

David had already graced the triumphs of his restoration with the generous remission of the injuries that had been done to him; we have him here gracing them with a no less generous reward of the kindnesses that had been shown to him. Barzillai, the Gileadite, who had a noble seat at Rogelim, not far from Mahanaim, was the man who, of all the nobility and gentry of that country, had been most kind to David in his distress. If Absalom had prevailed, it is likely he would have suffered for his... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:40-43

David came over Jordan attended and assisted only by the men of Judah; but when he had advanced as far as Gilgal, the first stage on this side Jordan, half the people of Israel (that is, of their elders and great men) had come to wait upon him, to kiss his hand, and congratulate him on his return, but found they came too late to witness the solemnity of his first entrance. This put them out of humour, and occasioned a quarrel between them and the men of Judah, which was a damp to the joy of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:31

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim ,.... The place of his habitation, to Jordan, see 2 Samuel 17:27 , and went over Jordan with the king to conduct him over Jordan ; to accompany him over the river, and then take his leave of him. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:32

Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old ,.... Which was ten years beyond the common term of man's life, and reckoned a very great age in David's time, and has been ever since, and still is, see Psalm 90:10 , and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim : had supported him and his family, furnished him with provisions, and all the necessaries of life, during his stay there: for he was a very great man ; in wealth and riches, and was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:33

And the king said to Barzillai, come thou over with me ,.... Over Jordan; Barzillai came with an intent to accompany the king over Jordan; but the king meant not only to go over Jordan, but when over to go further with him, even to Jerusalem: and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem ; meaning, that he should dwell with him in his palace, and eat at his table, in return for feeding him at Mahanaim. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:34

And Barzillai said unto the king ,.... In answer to the grateful proposal he made: how long have I to live ; that could not be said with exactness by any; but it might be probably conjectured from the age he was of, and the infirmities that attended him, that he could not live long; it was but a short time he had to be in the world: that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem ? take so long a journey as that, seeing he might die before he got thither; and if he did not, since it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:35

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:36

Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king ,.... That is, go a little way after he was over Jordan with him, and then return to his own city: and why should the king recompense it with such a reward ? the sense is, why should the king recompense so trifling a thing as I have done, and which was but my duty, with such a reward, as to maintain me in so grand a manner at his court? read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:37

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again ,.... To his own city, after he is gone ever Jordan, and seen the king a little way on his journey: that I may die in my own city : the city of Rogelim, where perhaps he was born, and had lived all his days, and where it is natural for people to desire to die, even in their native place: and be buried by the grave of my father, and of my mother : or "in" their grave, as Kimchi and Ben Melech, in the sepulchre of his fathers, where men... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:38

And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me ,.... He admitted of him instead of his father: and I will do unto him that which shall seem good unto thee ; he puts it to Barzillai, and leaves it with him to ask what he would for his son, and he would grant it. We nowhere read what it was that Barzillai asked, or whether he asked anything; only this we read, that some hundreds of years afterward there was a place called the habitation of Chimham near Bethlehem, Jeremiah 41:17 ;... read more

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