Poole on 2 Samuel 19:31-39: Barzillai's Reward

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Verse 31:[1]  And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

[He brought the king across Jordan, prepared also to follow him beyond the river, וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר אֶת־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לְשַׁלְּח֖וֹ אֶת־בַּיַּרְדֵּֽן׃]  In the place of אֶת־בַּיַּרְדֵּן, in the Jordan, which is the Kethib, the Qere has ‎אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן, the Jordan; I think that the Kethib is to be retained (Dieu).  [They render it variously:]  And (or wherefore [certain interpreters in Malvenda]) he transported, or crossed, Jordan with the king (Pagnine, Montanus, Junius and Tremellius, Dieu, etc.).  So that he might send him beyond Jordan (Jonathan, Munster, Pagnine); either in Jordan (Montanus), or Jordan (Septuagint):  so that he might lead him (or escort him; that is, attend him in his departure [Vatablus]; or escorting him [Junius and Tremellius]) through the Jordan (Tigurinus, Vatablus).  So that he might escort him from there (Syriac).  So that he might return to him having been bidden farewell (Arabic).  And to him he presented himself as an attendant through Jordan (Strigelius).  To send him away in Jordan.  For he was wanting to greet him there, and from there to return home, as it is evident from verse 33-39 (Mariana).  So that he might send him away from in Jordan.  The sense:  He crossed the river with the king with this purpose, that he might proceed no farther than the opposite bank, and there from that bank which is in Jordan send him away, and depart from him.  I take the אֶת [2] here as מֵאֶת/from, as it is done elsewhere, Genesis 4:1, ‎אֶת־יְהוָה, from the Lord; and Genesis 49:25, ‎מֵאֵ֙ל אָבִ֜יךָ וְיַעְזְרֶ֗ךָּ וְאֵ֤ת שַׁדַּי֙, from the God of thy father, and He shall help thee, and from the Almighty, etc.; and Micah 3:8, I am full of power ‎אֶת־ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֔ה, from the spirit of the Lord (Dieu).

And went over Jordan, etc.:  And then to cross Jordan again, and so return to his native land.

Verse 32:[3]  Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old:  and (2 Sam. 17:27) he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

[He supplied the maintenance of the king, while he was abiding in the camp, ‎בְּשִׁיבָת֣וֹ בְמַחֲנַ֔יִם]  In his rotation in Mahanaim (Montanus); while he was abiding, etc. (Pagnine); while he was (Arabic); he encamped (Junius and Tremellius); he remained (Syriac, Munster).  ‎בְּשִׁיבָתוֹ, when he was abiding, is written in the place of ‎בִּישִׁיבָתוֹ.  Now, יְשִׁיבָה/sojourn is a verbal noun (Munster).

Verse 33:[4]  And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

[Come with me, etc.]  For David was wishing to compensate him with a pleasant lot for his favors (Menochius).

Verse 34:[5]  And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live (Heb. How many days are the years of my life?[6]), that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

[How many are the days, etc.?]  That is to say, What need is there for the little time of life remaining to me to change my residence? (Menochius).  My age is not fit for travels (Martyr).

How long have I to live, etc.?:  Seeing my time of continuance in this world is but short, it is not advisable to change my habitation, or to give thee or myself any further trouble.

Verse 35:[7]  I am this day (Ps. 90:10) fourscore years old:  and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

[Are my senses effective, etc.? וגו״‎הַאֵדַע ]  Do I discern, etc.? (Pagnine, Vatablus); as an old man am I able to discern between the agreeable and disagreeable, etc.? (Vatablus).  In these species he comprehends all pleasures of the royal court (Martyr); he signifies that he is not fit for them (Menochius).

[Can I hear, etc.?]  That is to say, This age is not charmed by the things that are heard in the halls of princes (Vatablus).

[Wherefore should thy servant be a burden, etc.?]  Consumed by age, I am able to be of no use to thee (Menochius).  Aged men are burdensome in royal halls.  Kings wish to have those with whom they are able to converse and jest.  Our age is odious to the young:  a tale are we, an old man and woman, says an aged man in Terence (Martyr).

Can I discern between good and evil, etc.?:  My senses are grown dull, and uncapable of relishing the delights of the court.  I am past taking pleasure in delicious tastes, or sweet music, and other such delights of the court.  I am through age both useless and burdensome to others, and therefore most improper for a court life.

Verse 36:[8]  Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king:  and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

[I will proceed a little from Jordan with thee, ‎ כִּמְעַ֞ט יַעֲבֹ֧ר עַבְדְּךָ֛ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ]  As if he will go a little way over Jordan with the king (Montanus).  He will go over a little, etc. (Septuagint, Jonathan); for he scarcely passed through, etc. (Syriac).  Only with great difficulty did I pass through Jordan with the king (Arabic); he will go a little way over, etc. (Pagnine, Munster, Tigurinus), that is, he will proceed only a little beyond Jordan in escorting thee, and afterwards I shall return, etc. (Vatablus).  Thy servant will have gone a little way over Jordan, etc. (Junius and Tremellius).  For so small a service, and that owed, such a recompense is not necessary (Junius).

A little way over Jordan; a little onward in thy way to Jerusalem, and then return.  Recompense it me, or, recompense me, to wit, for my small kindness to thee at Mahanaim, which was but a part of my duty to thee.

Verse 37:[9]  Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother.  But behold thy servant (1 Kings 2:7; Jer. 41:17) Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

[That I might die in my city]  He asks for what is most pleasing to old men, tranquility and the ancestral estate (Martyr).  Or the closest by the bond of blood (Malvenda).  To the parents is given what is bestowed upon their children (Martyr).

[Thy servant Chimham]  Chimham my son (Munster, Vatablus, Malvenda). 

Chimham, Barzillai’s son, 1 Kings 2:7.

[Let him proceed]  Hebrew:  he shall go over,[10] namely, unto Jerusalem (Vatablus).

Verse 38:[11]  And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee:  and whatsoever thou shalt require (Heb. choose[12]) of me, that will I do for thee.

Verse 39:[13]  And all the people went over Jordan.  And when the king was come over, the king (Gen. 31:55) kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

[He blessed him]  He wished him well (Vatablus), that is, he bid him farewell (Malvenda).  David yielded to his requests.  There are men that, while they wish to appear dutiful, are too importunate:  they force services upon us that are not expedient (Martyr).

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וּבַרְזִלַּי֙ הַגִּלְעָדִ֔י יָרַ֖ד מֵרֹגְלִ֑ים וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר אֶת־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לְשַׁלְּח֖וֹ אֶת־בַּיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

[2] אֶת normally serves as the direct object marker.

[3] Hebrew:  ‎וּבַרְזִלַּי֙ זָקֵ֣ן מְאֹ֔ד בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וְהֽוּא־כִלְכַּ֤ל אֶת־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בְּשִׁיבָת֣וֹ בְמַחֲנַ֔יִם כִּֽי־אִ֛ישׁ גָּד֥וֹל ה֖וּא מְאֹֽד׃

[4] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־בַּרְזִלָּ֑י אַתָּה֙ עֲבֹ֣ר אִתִּ֔י וְכִלְכַּלְתִּ֥י אֹתְךָ֛ עִמָּדִ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

[5] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֥אמֶר בַּרְזִלַּ֖י אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כַּמָּ֗ה יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיַּ֔י כִּי־אֶעֱלֶ֥ה אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

[6] Hebrew:  ‎כַּמָּ֗ה יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיַּ֔י.

[7] Hebrew: ‎בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֣ים שָׁנָה֩ אָנֹכִ֙י הַיּ֜וֹם הַאֵדַ֣ע׀ בֵּין־ט֣וֹב לְרָ֗ע אִם־יִטְעַ֤ם עַבְדְּךָ֙ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֹכַל֙ וְאֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁתֶּ֔ה אִם־אֶשְׁמַ֣ע ע֔וֹד בְּק֖וֹל שָׁרִ֣ים וְשָׁר֑וֹת וְלָמָּה֩ יִֽהְיֶ֙ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ עוֹד֙ לְמַשָּׂ֔א אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

[8] Hebrew:  ‎כִּמְעַ֞ט יַעֲבֹ֧ר עַבְדְּךָ֛ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְלָ֙מָּה֙ יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הַגְּמוּלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃

[9] Hebrew:  ‎יָֽשָׁב־נָ֤א עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְאָמֻ֣ת בְּעִירִ֔י עִ֛ם קֶ֥בֶר אָבִ֖י וְאִמִּ֑י וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ עַבְדְּךָ֣ כִמְהָ֗ם יַֽעֲבֹר֙ עִם־אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַעֲשֵׂה־ל֕וֹ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ט֖וֹב בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ ס

[10] Hebrew:  ‎יַעֲבֹר.

[11] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אִתִּי֙ יַעֲבֹ֣ר כִּמְהָ֔ם וַאֲנִי֙ אֶעֱשֶׂה־לּ֔וֹ אֶת־הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־תִּבְחַ֥ר עָלַ֖י אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃

[12] Hebrew:  ‎תִּבְחַר.

[13] Hebrew:  ‎וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ר כָּל־הָעָ֛ם אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ עָבָ֑ר וַיִּשַּׁ֙ק הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ לְבַרְזִלַּי֙ וַיְבָ֣רֲכֵ֔הוּ וַיָּ֖שָׁב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃ ס