2 Samuel 16 1

2 Samuel 16:1 kjv

And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 Samuel 16:1 nkjv

When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

2 Samuel 16:1 niv

When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, 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.

2 Samuel 16:1 esv

When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

2 Samuel 16:1 nlt

When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, was waiting there for him. He had two donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a wineskin full of wine.

2 Samuel 16 verses

2 Samuel 16 1 Meaning

2 Samuel 16:1 depicts King David, in his humiliating flight from Absalom's rebellion, encountering Ziba, a servant from Saul's house. Ziba arrives with a significant provision of food and donkeys, seemingly as an act of timely loyalty and support for the deposed king, and also to give King David the impression that Mephibosheth, Ziba’s master and Saul’s grandson, was disloyal to David and joined Absalom. This meeting marks a critical moment where David, vulnerable and weary, receives much-needed sustenance while being subjected to a subtle act of deception and manipulation.

2 Samuel 16 1 Context

2 Samuel 16:1 occurs during King David's desperate flight from Jerusalem, forced out by the rebellion led by his own son, Absalom. The previous chapter (2 Sam 15) details the dramatic beginning of Absalom's coup, David's decision to flee, his crossing the Kidron Valley, and his sorrowful ascent of the Mount of Olives. David and his loyalists are vulnerable, displaced, and physically exhausted. Spiritually, David is deeply burdened by the betrayal and the curse of Shimei. Ziba's timely appearance with substantial provisions for travel offers immediate, tangible relief to David's party, yet it sets the stage for a critical deception involving Mephibosheth, further compounding David's trials. The encounter highlights David's reduced state where he is open to quick judgments under duress.

2 Samuel 16 1 Word analysis

• And when David was a little past the top of the mountain

  • וַיָּדֶף֙ דָּוִד מְעַט מֵרֹאשׁ הָהָר֙ (vayyadaf dawid me`aṭ mero'sh ha-har):
    • וַיָּדֶף֙ (vayyadaf): "And when... had passed" or "David had just passed." Implies moving quickly past a significant landmark. David's journey here is physically demanding and emotionally charged, characterized by haste and distress (2 Sam 15:30).
    • מְעַט (me`aṭ): "a little" or "a short distance." Emphasizes that this encounter happens very shortly after David surmounted the summit.
    • מֵרֹאשׁ הָהָר֙ (mero'sh ha-har): "from the top of the mountain." Specifically the Mount of Olives, an iconic landmark associated with both David's grief in this moment and later, the Lord's ascension and future return (Zech 14:4; Acts 1:12). For David, passing over it symbolizes descent into the wilderness, both physically and metaphorically into deeper trials. This topographic detail is significant, indicating David's vulnerable state on the backside of the mountain, looking away from Jerusalem.

• Behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him

  • וְהִנֵּה צִיבָא נַעַר מְפִיבֹשֶׁת לִקְרָאתֹו֙ (vehinneh Tsiyva na`ar Mefiyvosheth liqra'tow):
    • וְהִנֵּה (vehinneh): "Behold," "Lo," or "And look!" An interjection drawing immediate attention to an unexpected or significant appearance. It heightens the drama of the encounter, making Ziba's sudden arrival notable.
    • צִיבָא (Tsiyva): Ziba, previously introduced in 2 Sam 9. He was given responsibility over Mephibosheth’s servants and lands by David. His background sets up his capacity for both aid and manipulation.
    • נַעַר מְפִיבֹשֶׁת (na`ar Mefiyvosheth): "servant of Mephibosheth." This identifying phrase immediately establishes Ziba’s relationship to the house of Saul, to whom David had shown kindness. This connection is key to David's later judgment, as he wrongly assumes Ziba's words represent Mephibosheth’s loyalty.

• with a couple of donkeys saddled

  • צֶמֶד חֲמוֹרִים חֲבֻשִׁים (tsemed chamorim chabushim):
    • צֶמֶד (tsemed): "a pair," "a couple." Implies two donkeys.
    • חֲמוֹרִים (chamorim): "donkeys." Common pack animals, essential for carrying burdens and transport in ancient Israel.
    • חֲבֻשִׁים (chabushim): "saddled," "laden," or "equipped." Indicates they are ready for use, suggesting intentional preparation for this journey. Donkeys for transportation point to their flight, indicating the need for supplies for a significant journey.

• carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

  • וַעֲלֵיהֶם֩ מָאתַ֙יִם לֶ֙חֶם֙ וּמֵאָה֙ צִמּוּקִים֙ וּמֵאָה֙ קַיִץ֙ וְנֵ֣בֶל יָֽיִן֙ (va`aleihem ma'tayim lechem umea'h tsimmuqim umea'h qayits venevel yayin):
    • מָאתַ֙יִם לֶ֙חֶם֙ (ma'tayim lechem): "two hundred loaves of bread." Bread was a staple and essential for sustenance, particularly for a fleeing party. This quantity is significant, indicating ample provision.
    • צִמּוּקִים֙ (tsimmuqim): "raisins" or "clusters of raisins." Dried grapes, providing quick energy and durable provisions. Often pressed into cakes.
    • קַיִץ֙ (qayits): "summer fruits" or "dried figs" (a common interpretation). Often signifies fresh or dried figs, a valuable source of nutrition. Their mention points to the seasonal context or a general category of durable fruit.
    • וְנֵ֣בֶל יָֽיִן֙ (venevel yayin): "and a skin of wine." Wine provided refreshment, sustenance, and comfort during journeys. Its inclusion alongside solid food emphasizes a full provision for David and his people, offering a measure of relief from the harsh realities of their flight.
  • Overall significance of provisions: This abundance not only provides for David and his companions but also demonstrates Ziba’s apparent foresight and generosity, which in turn primes David for the lie that follows (2 Sam 16:3-4). The sheer quantity implies deliberate preparation, designed to impress and earn favor.

2 Samuel 16 1 Bonus section

The Hebrew word מְעַט (me`aṭ) "a little," when applied to space, emphasizes a minimal distance, almost immediately after David surmounted the Mount of Olives. This location, Mount of Olives (or Mount of Olives in its broader range including what might be specifically called "Rosh ha-har"), carries deep theological significance as a site for profound prayer, lament, and future eschatological events. David’s weeping ascent prefigures Christ’s agonizing prayer in Gethsemane on the same mountain (Matt 26:36-46). Ziba's actions, occurring at this poignant location, contrast starkly with David's humble suffering, underscoring human opportunism even in the shadow of profound divine or human pathos.

The provisions themselves — bread, raisins, dried fruits, wine — were typical sustenance for a journey, but also common items used in offerings or signs of hospitality and feasting (Gen 14:18, 1 Sam 25:18). Ziba’s offering is thus culturally symbolic of comfort and generous support. Ziba might have believed Absalom's reign would be permanent, and he seized the moment to curry favor with the returning, 'rightful' king, showing strategic opportunism regardless of who was on the throne, or to settle his future position by ensuring that Mephibosheth was out of the way, irrespective of the ongoing revolt outcome. His actions reflect the instability and moral ambiguity of David's kingdom during Absalom's rebellion, where personal gain often superseded loyalty or truth.

2 Samuel 16 1 Commentary

2 Samuel 16:1 captures a seemingly providential moment in David's lowest ebb, yet it subtly introduces the theme of human deceit amidst divine trials. David, fleeing Absalom, has just crested the Mount of Olives, weeping, bareheaded, and barefoot – a stark picture of royal humiliation. Ziba's abrupt appearance ("Behold!") with significant provisions and means of transport (donkeys, bread, raisins, summer fruits, wine) appears to be a timely and devoted act. The magnitude of the gifts is impressive, enough to sustain a fleeing entourage. This immediate physical relief stands in contrast to David's spiritual and emotional turmoil, highlighting the practical struggles of his situation.

However, Ziba's character is not one of simple devotion. His act is not selfless loyalty but a shrewd, opportunistic move. By presenting such substantial aid and claiming Mephibosheth’s disloyalty in the following verses (2 Sam 16:3), Ziba effectively leverages David's vulnerability and his pre-existing trust towards Saul's house. David, emotionally compromised and desperately in need, immediately accepts Ziba’s claims and rewards him with all of Mephibosheth’s land. This swift judgment based on appearance highlights how even righteous leaders can be deceived when under duress and how suffering can distort discernment. The encounter underscores the biblical themes of appearances being deceiving (Prov 12:22), the temptation to benefit from another’s misfortune, and the difficulty of discerning truth during times of great crisis (Luke 16:15). It’s a moment of both physical sustenance for David’s group and moral compromise for the king, setting the stage for later revelations about Ziba’s true motives and Mephibosheth’s unwavering, albeit handicapped, loyalty.