2 Samuel 19:28

28 For there [was no one] in all the house of my father {who were not doomed to death} before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. Do I have any righteousness any longer except to cry out to the king?"

2 Samuel 19:28 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 19:28

For all [of] my, father's house were but dead men before my
lord the king
Or "men of death" F13; worthy of death, not on account of Saul's persecution, for which his family did not deserve to suffer; rather for the attempt of Ishbosheth to get the kingdom from him, which might be deemed treason, and so the family was tainted for it; though the sense may be only this, that their lives lay at his mercy, and that if he had dealt with rigour and severity towards them, as was usual for princes to do towards the family of their predecessors, who had any claim to the kingdom, put them to death, this would have been their case:

yet didst thou set thy servant among them that eat at thine own table;
which was showing him great kindness, and doing him great honour:

what right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
to ask any favour of him, or make any complaint to him.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 (twm yvna) "viris mortis", Montanus.

2 Samuel 19:28 In-Context

26 Then he said, "My lord the king, my servant deceived me, for your servant had said, 'Let me saddle the donkey that I may ride on her and go with the king,' for your servant [is] lame.
27 But he slandered against your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king [is] like the angel of God; {do as you see fit.}."
28 For there [was no one] in all the house of my father {who were not doomed to death} before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. Do I have any righteousness any longer except to cry out to the king?"
29 Then the king said to him, "Why should you speak any more [about] the matter? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land."
30 Then Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him take the whole [thing], since my lord the king has come {safely} to his house."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "except men of death"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.