1 And when David H1732 was a little H4592 past H5674 the top H7218 of the hill, behold, Ziba H6717 the servant H5288 of Mephibosheth H4648 met H7125 him, with a couple H6776 of asses H2543 saddled, H2280 and upon them two hundred H3967 loaves of bread, H3899 and an hundred H3967 bunches of raisins, H6778 and an hundred H3967 of summer fruits, H7019 and a bottle H5035 of wine. H3196
And there was of the house H1004 of Saul H7586 a servant H5650 whose name H8034 was Ziba. H6717 And when they had called H7121 him unto David, H1732 the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Art thou Ziba? H6717 And he said, H559 Thy servant H5650 is he. And the king H4428 said, H559 Is there not H657 yet any H376 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 that I may shew H6213 the kindness H2617 of God H430 unto him? And Ziba H6717 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Jonathan H3083 hath yet a son, H1121 which is lame H5223 on his feet. H7272 And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Where H375 is he? And Ziba H6717 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Behold, he is in the house H1004 of Machir, H4353 the son H1121 of Ammiel, H5988 in Lodebar. H3810 Then king H4428 David H1732 sent, H7971 and fetched H3947 him out of the house H1004 of Machir, H4353 the son H1121 of Ammiel, H5988 from Lodebar. H3810 Now when Mephibosheth, H4648 the son H1121 of Jonathan, H3083 the son H1121 of Saul, H7586 was come H935 unto David, H1732 he fell H5307 on his face, H6440 and did reverence. H7812 And David H1732 said, H559 Mephibosheth. H4648 And he answered, H559 Behold thy servant! H5650 And David H1732 said H559 unto him, Fear H3372 not: for I will surely H6213 shew H6213 thee kindness H2617 for Jonathan H3083 thy father's H1 sake, and will restore H7725 thee all the land H7704 of Saul H7586 thy father; H1 and thou shalt eat H398 bread H3899 at my table H7979 continually. H8548 And he bowed H7812 himself, and said, H559 What is thy servant, H5650 that thou shouldest look H6437 upon such a dead H4191 dog H3611 as I am? Then the king H4428 called H7121 to Ziba, H6717 Saul's H7586 servant, H5288 and said H559 unto him, I have given H5414 unto thy master's H113 son H1121 all that pertained H1961 to Saul H7586 and to all his house. H1004 Thou therefore, and thy sons, H1121 and thy servants, H5650 shall till H5647 the land H127 for him, and thou shalt bring H935 in the fruits, that thy master's H113 son H1121 may have food H3899 to eat: H398 but Mephibosheth H4648 thy master's H113 son H1121 shall eat H398 bread H3899 alway H8548 at my table. H7979 Now Ziba H6717 had fifteen H2568 H6240 sons H1121 and twenty H6242 servants. H5650 Then said H559 Ziba H6717 unto the king, H4428 According to all that my lord H113 the king H4428 hath commanded H6680 his servant, H5650 so shall thy servant H5650 do. H6213 As for Mephibosheth, H4648 said the king, he shall eat H398 at my table, H7979 as one H259 of the king's H4428 sons. H1121 And Mephibosheth H4648 had a young H6996 son, H1121 whose name H8034 was Micha. H4316 And all that dwelt H4186 in the house H1004 of Ziba H6717 were servants H5650 unto Mephibosheth. H4648 So Mephibosheth H4648 dwelt H3427 in Jerusalem: H3389 for he did eat H398 continually H8548 at the king's H4428 table; H7979 and was lame H6455 on both H8147 his feet. H7272
And Jesse H3448 said H559 unto David H1732 his son, H1121 Take H3947 now for thy brethren H251 an ephah H374 of this H2088 parched H7039 corn, and these ten H6235 loaves, H3899 and run H7323 to the camp H4264 to thy brethren; H251 And carry H935 these ten H6235 cheeses H2461 H2757 unto the captain H8269 of their thousand, H505 and look H6485 how thy brethren H251 fare, H7965 and take H3947 their pledge. H6161
And it came to pass, when David H1732 was come H935 to Mahanaim, H4266 that Shobi H7629 the son H1121 of Nahash H5176 of Rabbah H7237 of the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and Machir H4353 the son H1121 of Ammiel H5988 of Lodebar, H3810 and Barzillai H1271 the Gileadite H1569 of Rogelim, H7274 Brought H5066 beds, H4904 and basons, H5592 and earthen H3335 vessels, H3627 and wheat, H2406 and barley, H8184 and flour, H7058 and parched H7039 corn, and beans, H6321 and lentiles, H5742 and parched H7039 pulse, And honey, H1706 and butter, H2529 and sheep, H6629 and cheese H8194 of kine, H1241 for David, H1732 and for the people H5971 that were with him, to eat: H398 for they said, H559 The people H5971 is hungry, H7457 and weary, H5889 and thirsty, H6771 in the wilderness. H4057
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 16
Commentary on 2 Samuel 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
2Sa 16:1-4. Ziba, by False Suggestions, Claims His Master's Inheritance.
1. Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him—This crafty man, anticipating the certain failure of Absalom's conspiracy, took steps to prepare for his future advancement on the restoration of the king.
a bottle of wine—a large goatskin vessel. Its size made the supply of wine proportioned to the rest of his present.
2. The asses be for the king's household to ride on—The royal fugitives were moving on foot, not from inability to procure conveyances, but as being suitable to their present state of humiliation and penitence.
3. To-day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father—Such a hope might not unnaturally arise at this period of civil distraction, that the family of David would destroy themselves by their mutual broils, and the people reinstate the old dynasty. There was an air of plausibility in Ziba's story. Many, on whom the king had conferred favors, were now deserting him. No wonder, therefore, that in the excitement of momentary feeling, believing, on the report of a slanderer, Mephibosheth to be among the number, he pronounced a rash and unrighteous judgment by which a great injury was inflicted on the character and interests of a devoted friend.
2Sa 16:5-19. Shimei Curses David.
5-12. when king David came to Bahurim—a city of Benjamin (2Sa 3:16; 19:16). It is, however, only the confines of the district that are here meant.
Shimei, … a man of the family of Saul—The misfortune of his family, and the occupation by David of what they considered their rightful possessions, afforded a natural, if not a justifiable cause for this ebullition of rude insults and violence. He upbraided David as an ambitious usurper, and charged him, as one whose misdeeds had recoiled upon his own head, to surrender a throne to which he was not entitled. His language was that of a man incensed by the wrongs that he conceived had been done to his house. David was guiltless of the crime of which Shimei accused him; but his conscience reminded him of other flagrant iniquities; and he, therefore, regarded the cursing of this man as a chastisement from heaven. His answer to Abishai's proposal evinced the spirit of deep and humble resignation—the spirit of a man who watched the course of Providence, and acknowledged Shimei as the instrument of God's chastening hand. One thing is remarkable, that he acted more independently of the sons of Zeruiah in this season of great distress than he could often muster courage to do in the days of his prosperity and power.
13. went along on the hill's side over against him—as he descended the rough road on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives, "went along on the hill's side"—literally, "the rib of the hill."
threw stones at him—as a mark of contempt and insult.
cast dust—As if to add insult to injury, clouds of dust were thrown by this disloyal subject in the path of his unfortunate sovereign.
14. refreshed themselves there—that is, in the city of Bahurim.
15-19. Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king—Hushai's devotion to David was so well-known, that his presence in the camp of the conspirators excited great surprise. Professing, however, with great address, to consider it his duty to support the cause which the course of Providence and the national will had seemingly decreed should triumph, and urging his friendship for the father as a ground of confidence in his fidelity to the son, he persuaded Absalom of his sincerity, and was admitted among the councillors of the new king.
2Sa 16:20-23. Ahithophel's Counsel.
20. Give counsel among you what we shall do—This is the first cabinet council on record, although the deference paid to Ahithophel gave him the entire direction of the proceedings.
21. Ahithophel said unto Absalom—This councillor saw that now the die was cast; half measures would be inexpedient. To cut off all possibility of reconciliation between the king and his rebellious son, he gave this atrocious advice regarding the treatment of the royal women who had been left in charge of the palace. Women, being held sacred, are generally left inviolate in the casualties of war. The history of the East affords only one parallel to this infamous outrage of Absalom.