Ziba, a False Servant

16 Now when David had gone on (A)a little beyond the summit, behold, (B)Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him (C)with a team of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. And the king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “(D)The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine, (E)for whoever is weary in the wilderness to drink.” Then the king said, “And where is (F)your master’s son?” And (G)Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’” So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, the king!”

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David and Ziba

16 When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba,(A) the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.(B)

The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh(C) those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”(D)

Ziba(E) said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth(F) is now yours.”

“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

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26 So he said, “My lord the king, my servant betrayed me; for your servant said, ‘I will [a]saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ (A)since your servant cannot walk. 27 Furthermore, (B)he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is (C)like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 19:26 I.e., have the donkey saddled

26 He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame,(A) I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba(B) my servant betrayed me. 27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel(C) of God; so do whatever you wish.

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