2 Samuel 19:23-43
die <04191> [Thou shalt.]
oath <07650> [sware.]
Mephibosheth <04648> [Mephibosheth.]
feet ... trimmed <06213 07272> [dressed his feet.]
Literally, made his feet, which seems to mean washing the feet paring the nails, and perhaps anointing or otherwise perfuming them, if not tinging the nails with henna; see Note on De 21:12. Sir John Chardin, in his MS. note on this place, informs us, that it is customary in the East to have as much care of the feet as the hands; and that their barbers cut and adjust the nails with a proper instrument, because they often go barefoot. The nails of the toes of the mummies inspected in London in 1763, of which an account is given in the Philosophical Transactions for 1764, seem to have been tinged with some reddish colour.
trimmed <06213> [trimmed.]
Literally, made his beard, which may mean, combing, curling, and perfuming it. But Mr. Morier says that they almost universally dye the beard black, by successive layers of a paste made of henna, and another made of the leaf of the indigo: the first tinging with an orange colour, and the next with a dark bottle green, which becomes jet black when exposed to the air for twenty-four hours.
go <01980> [Wherefore.]
saddled <02280> [I will saddle.]
servant .......... donkey ................ I <05650> [thy servant.]
slandered <07270> [slandered.]
angel <04397> [as an angel.]
no <03808> [were.]
death <04194 0582> [dead men. Heb. men of death.]
allowed <07896> [didst thou.]
ask <02199> [to cry.]
speaking <01696> [Why speakest.]
this .... Ziba <01697 06717> [Thou.]
<03947> [Yea.]
eighty <08084> [fourscore.]
king <04428> [provided.]
very ......................... very <03966> [for he was.]
Cross <05674> [Come thou.]
days <03117 08141> [How long have I to live? Heb. How many days are the years of my life?]
discern <03045> [can I discern.]
taste <02938> [taste.]
hear <08085> [I hear.]
burden <04853> [a burden.]
king .......... king <04428> [the king.]
me .......................... servant <05650> [Let thy.]
The whole of this little episode is extremely interesting, and contains an affecting description of the infirmities of old age. The venerable and kind Barzillai was fourscore years old; his ear was become dull of hearing, and his relish for even royal dainties was gone: the evil days had arrived in which he was constrained to say, "I have no pleasure in them." (Ec 12:1.) As he was too old either to enjoy the pleasures of a court, or to be of any further service to the king, he finishes his affecting address to the aged monarch with the request, that he would suffer him to enjoy what old men naturally desire, to "die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and mother;" at the same time commending his son Chimham to his kind offices.
die <04191> [I may die.]
grave <06913> [by the grave.]
Kimham <03643> [Chimham.]
choose <0977> [require. Heb. choose.]
king .... king <04428> [the king.]
The kiss was the token of friendship and farewell; the blessing was a prayer to God for his prosperity: probably a prophetical benediction.
kissed ...... Barzillai <05401 01271> [kissed Barzillai.]
blessed <01288> [blessed.]
returned <07725> [returned.]
Kimham <03643> [Chimham. Heb. Chimhan. all the people.]
brothers <0251> [Why have.]
sneak <01589> [stolen.]
king .................. king's <04428> [Because.]
ten <06235> [We have.]
ten shares <03027 06235> [ten parts.]
curse ............... comments ........... those <07043 01697> [despise us. Heb. set us at light. our advice.]
comments ........... those <01697> [the words.]
Whatever value or respect the men of Israel at this time professed for their king, they would not have quarrelled so fiercely about their own credit and interest in recalling him, if they had been truly sorry for their former rebellion.
