2 Samuel 16:1-4

David Receives Gifts from Ziba

16:1 When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, 1  and a container of wine.

16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” 2  Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread 3  and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.” 4  16:3 The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” 5  Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, 6  for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s 7  kingdom.’” 16:4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

2 Samuel 19:17

19:17 There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant 8  of Saul’s household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed 9  the Jordan within sight of the king.

2 Samuel 19:27-29

19:27 But my servant 10  has slandered me 11  to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 19:28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather 12  who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table! 13  What further claim do I have to ask 14  the king for anything?”

19:29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.”

1 tn Heb “a hundred summer fruit.”

2 tn Heb “What are these to you?”

3 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading וְהַלֶּחֶם (vÿhallekhem, “and the bread”) rather than וּלְהַלֶּחֶם (ulÿhallekhem, “and to the bread”) of the Kethib. The syntax of the MT is confused here by the needless repetition of the preposition, probably taken from the preceding word.

4 tn The Hebrew text adds “to drink.”

5 tn Heb “son.”

6 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

7 tn Heb “my father’s.”

8 tn Heb “youth.”

9 tn Heb “rushed into.”

10 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

11 tn Heb “your servant.”

12 tn Heb “father.”

13 tn Heb “and you placed your servant among those who eat at your table.”

14 tn Heb “to cry out to.”