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Ziba Meets David

16 When David had passed a short way ·over the top of the Mount of Olives [L beyond the summit], Ziba, Mephibosheth’s [C Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson; 4:4] servant, met him. Ziba had a ·row [string; or couple] of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred ·cakes [or clusters] of raisins, one hundred ·cakes of figs [L bunches of summer fruits], and ·leather bags full [skins] of wine. The king asked Ziba, “What are these things for?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for your ·family [household] to ride. The bread and ·cakes of figs [L summer fruit] are for the ·servants [men; soldiers] to eat. And the wine is for anyone to drink who might become ·weak [exhausted; faint] in the ·desert [wilderness].”

The king asked, “Where is ·Mephibosheth [L your master’s son/grandson]?”

Ziba answered him, “Mephibosheth is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will ·give [L restore] my father’s kingdom back to me!’”

Then the king said to Ziba, “All right. Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth, I now give to you!”

Ziba said, “I ·bow to you [prostrate myself]. ·I hope I will always be able to please you [L May I find favor in your sight/eyes, 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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