2 Samuel 16:1-4--David and Ziba

2 Samuel 16:1-4
English Standard Version

David and Ziba
16 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 And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 And the king said, “And where is your master's son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

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David is now a little past the summit (last time we saw him at the summit of the Mount of Olives where he sent at man back to get close to Absalom and report everything to the priests so that they could let David know).  Here on the other side of the summit, David is met by Mephibosheth's servant named Ziba.  Ziba presented a gift to David of a couple of saddled donkeys, and the donkeys were carrying 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 summer fruits (I'm not exactly sure what that is, but it was more provisions that David and his men could eat) and a skin of wine.  This would have made a fine meal for the king and his men that were with him.  The donkeys were given for David and those from his household to ride on so that they did not need to walk.  The bread and fruit were for all the young men who were with David to eat, and the wine was for them to save for when they got into the wilderness and needed something to drink, so that they did not faint from dehydration.

David then asks where Mephibosheth is, and Ziba said that Mephibosheth was going to remain in Jerusalem (remember he is crippled and could not get away).  Mephibosheth thinks that somehow if David is overthrown that the people of Israel will once again put a descendant of Saul on the throne (and that it might even be him).  Since Mephibosheth has taken sides against David, the king transferred all that belonged to Mephibosheth to Ziba.  Ziba stayed loyal to David and payed homage to him and desired to find favor in his sight.

Next time we'll see that Mephibosheth is not the only descendant of Saul left.  David will be met by another of Saul's descendants on his way down the Mount of Olives and that man will prophecy against David.  We'll take a look at that next time.