2 Samuel 19:38

38 The king replied, "Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you,[a] and whatever you desire from me I will do for you."

2 Samuel 19:38 Meaning and 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 ) ; which makes it probable that David gave him a paternal estate of his there, since Bethlehem was his city; and the Targum on that place is expressly for it; (See Gill on Jeremiah 41:17):

and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, [that] will I do for thee;
whatever suit he should make to him, or whatever favour he should ask of him hereafter, when returned to his own city, he would grant it to him, if it could be possibly done; such a sense should he always retain of his kindness to him.

2 Samuel 19:38 In-Context

36 Since your servant is only going with the king a little way across the Jordan, why should the king repay me with such a reward?
37 Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham: let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems good to you."
38 The king replied, "Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me I will do for you."
39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home.
40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel's escorted the king.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit what is good in your eyes
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