2 Samuel 19:38

19:31-39 Barzillai thought he had done himself honour in doing the king any service. Thus, when the saints shall be called to inherit the kingdom, they will be amazed at the recompence being so very far beyond the service, Mt 25:37. A good man would not go any where to be burdensome; or, will rather be so to his own house than to another's. It is good for all, but especially becomes old people, to think and speak much of dying. The grave is ready for me, let me go and get ready for it.

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.

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim,.... Of whom see 2 Samuel 16:5 , hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David: he took the first opportunity to meet the king, and ask his pardon for his ill treatment of him when he fled from Jerusalem; for, hearing: that Absalom was slain, and the victory was on the side of David, who was returning in triumph, he thought it advisable as soon as possible to make his submission, and entreat forgiveness, lest he should fall a just sacrifice to his vengeance; and a better opportunity he could not well have than to go along with the men of Judah, who met the king first of all.

If the demands of justice required that Joab should be punished, the duty of gratitude was no less holy to the dying king. And Solomon was to show this to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and make them companions of his table; because Barzillai had supplied David with provisions on his flight from Absalom ( 2 Samuel 17:27 ., 2 Samuel 19:32 .). שׁלחנך בּאכלי והיוּ, "let them be among those eating of thy table;" i.e., not, "let them draw their food from the royal table," - for there was no particular distinction in this, as all the royal attendants at the court received their food from the royal kitchen, as an equivalent for the pay that was owing - but, "let them join in the meals at the royal table." The fact that in 2 Samuel 9:10-11 , 2 Samuel 9:13 , we have על־שׁלחן אכל to express this, makes no material difference. According to 2 Samuel 19:38 , Barzillai had, it is true, allowed only one son to follow the king to his court. "For so they drew near to me," i.e., they showed the kindness to me of supplying me with food; compare 2 Samuel 17:27 , where Barzillai alone is named, though, as he was a man of eighty years old, he was certainly supported by his sons.

Jonathan's sons and grandsons. His son is called here and in 1 Chronicles 9:40 Meribbaal, while in 2 Samuel 4:4 ; 2 Samuel 9:6 ; 2 Samuel 16:1 ., 2 Samuel 19:25 , he is called Mephibosheth, because the name "striver with Baal" has been changed into מפיבשׁת, exterminans idolum. This Meribbaal, who was lame in his feet (cf. 2 Samuel 4:4 ), had a son Micha (מיכה, in 2 Samuel 9:12 written מיכא), of whom came a numerous race. He had four sons ( 1 Chronicles 8:35 ), and the family of the last-named of these (Ahaz) is traced down, in 1 Chronicles 8:36-40 , through ten generations to the great-grandson of Eshek. First it is traced from Ahaz to Alemeth ( 1 Chronicles 8:36 ); then through Zimri, brother of this latter, to Binea, by הוליד; then further by בּנו (hisson) to Azel, of whom in 1 Chronicles 8:38 six sons are enumerated; and finally, in 1 Chronicles 8:39 , the sons of his brother Eshek are named, and the sons and grandsons of the first-born of this latter are then enumerated. The last two verses are wanting after 1 Chronicles 9:44 . The names in the two registers correspond, except at one point, where we cannot get rid of the discrepancy that for יחועדּה ( 1 Chronicles 8:36 ) there stands in 1 Chronicles 9:42 יערה both times, probably through an error of transcription, by which out of the shortened form יעדּה there arose יערה, ד and ר being interchanged.

Jonathan's sons and grandsons. His son is called here and in 1 Chronicles 9:40 Meribbaal, while in 2 Samuel 4:4 ; 2 Samuel 9:6 ; 2 Samuel 16:1 ., 2 Samuel 19:25 , he is called Mephibosheth, because the name "striver with Baal" has been changed into מפיבשׁת, exterminans idolum. This Meribbaal, who was lame in his feet (cf. 2 Samuel 4:4 ), had a son Micha (מיכה, in 2 Samuel 9:12 written מיכא), of whom came a numerous race. He had four sons ( 1 Chronicles 8:35 ), and the family of the last-named of these (Ahaz) is traced down, in 1 Chronicles 8:36-40 , through ten generations to the great-grandson of Eshek. First it is traced from Ahaz to Alemeth ( 1 Chronicles 8:36 ); then through Zimri, brother of this latter, to Binea, by הוליד; then further by בּנו (hisson) to Azel, of whom in 1 Chronicles 8:38 six sons are enumerated; and finally, in 1 Chronicles 8:39 , the sons of his brother Eshek are named, and the sons and grandsons of the first-born of this latter are then enumerated. The last two verses are wanting after 1 Chronicles 9:44 . The names in the two registers correspond, except at one point, where we cannot get rid of the discrepancy that for יחועדּה ( 1 Chronicles 8:36 ) there stands in 1 Chronicles 9:42 יערה both times, probably through an error of transcription, by which out of the shortened form יעדּה there arose יערה, ד and ר being interchanged.