Ziba is a biblical figure prominently featured in the Old Testament, specifically in the books of 2 Samuel. He is known for his association with King David and the house of Saul. Ziba was originally a servant of Saul, the first king of Israel, and later served Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul.

Background and Role

Ziba first appears in 2 Samuel 9, where King David seeks to show kindness to the house of Saul for the sake of his covenant with Jonathan. David inquires if there is anyone left of Saul's house to whom he can show God's kindness. Ziba, a servant of Saul's household, is summoned to David's presence. He informs the king about Mephibosheth, who is crippled in both feet and living in Lo-debar. David restores to Mephibosheth all the land that belonged to Saul and appoints Ziba and his sons and servants to work the land for Mephibosheth. Ziba is tasked with ensuring that the produce of the land supports Mephibosheth, who is to eat at David's table regularly. "Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, 'I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will always eat at my table.' Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants" (2 Samuel 9:9-10).

Ziba's Deception

Ziba's character comes into question during Absalom's rebellion against David. In 2 Samuel 16, as David flees Jerusalem, Ziba meets him with provisions. When David inquires about Mephibosheth's whereabouts, Ziba claims that Mephibosheth has stayed in Jerusalem, hoping to reclaim his grandfather Saul's throne. "Ziba answered, 'Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.' So the king said to Ziba, 'All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours.' 'I humbly bow,' said Ziba. 'May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!'" (2 Samuel 16:3-4). David, accepting Ziba's account, grants him all of Mephibosheth's possessions.

The Truth Revealed

The truth about Ziba's deception is later revealed when David returns to Jerusalem after Absalom's defeat. Mephibosheth comes to meet the king, and it becomes apparent that Ziba had slandered him. Mephibosheth explains that Ziba deceived him, as he was unable to saddle a donkey due to his disability. "My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and ride on it, so that I can go with the king.’ But Ziba my servant deceived me" (2 Samuel 19:26). Despite this revelation, David decides to divide the land between Ziba and Mephibosheth, perhaps reflecting the complexity of the situation and the need for political stability.

Legacy and Interpretation

Ziba's actions have been interpreted in various ways, often highlighting themes of loyalty, deception, and the complexities of human character. His account serves as a reminder of the potential for both faithfulness and betrayal within the human heart. Ziba's interactions with David and Mephibosheth illustrate the challenges of leadership and the importance of discernment in the face of conflicting reports and personal ambitions.Ziba

army; fight; strength

Ziba

(statue), a servant of Saul whom David made steward of Saul's son Mephibosheth. (2 Samuel 9:2-18; 16:1-4; 19:17,29) [MEPHIBOSHETH] (B.C. 1023.)

Ziba

A rich steward of Saul, whom David charged with similar duties towards Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, 2 Samuel 9:2-10. By a false representation David was induced to transfer to Ziba the lands he had given to Mephibosheth, but afterwards divided them between the two, being convinced that he had acted hastily, and unable to decide with certainty for either, 2 Samuel 16:1-4; 19:24-30.

Post; statue, "a servant of the house of Saul" (2 Samuel 9:2), who informed David that Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan, was alive. He afterwards dealt treacherously toward Mephibosheth, whom he slanderously misrepresented to David. ZIBA

zi'-ba (tsibha', tsibha' (2 Samuel 16:4 a), meaning unknown; Seiba): A former servant or probably dependent of Saul's house (2 Samuel 9:1), who was brought to David when the king inquired if there was not a member of Saul's family that he could show kindness to (compare David's oath to Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20:14;). Ziba tells David of Mephibosheth (Meribbaal), Jonathan's son, who is thereupon taken to the king from Lodebar, East of the Jordan, and given Saul's estate. Ziba is also bidden to till the land and bring in its produce, and "it shall be food for thy master's son," according to Massoretic Text in 2 Samuel 9:10 b; but the Septuagint and Lucian have a better reading, "thy master's household." Mephibosheth himself is to eat at David's table. Ziba is to be assisted in this by his sons and servants; he had 15 sons and 20 servants (9:10).

When David has to leave Jerusalem at the time of Absalom's revolt, Ziba (2 Samuel 16:1-4) takes two asses for members of the king's household to ride on, and 200 loaves and 100 clusters of raisins as provisions for the youths. When asked where Mephibosheth is, he accuses his master of remaining behind purposely in hopes that his father's kingdom would be restored to him. David then confers upon Ziba his master's estate.

After Absalom's death, David sets out to return to Jerusalem from Mahanaim, East of Jordan. Ziba with his sons and servants, as we are told in a parenthesis in 2 Samuel 19:17, 18 a (Hebrew verses 18, 19a), by means of a ferry-boat goes backward and forward over Jordan, and thus enables the king's household to cross. But he has wrongly accused his master of treacherous lukewarmness toward David, for Mephibosheth meets the king on his return journey to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 19:24-30 (Hebrew verses 25-31)) with signs of grief. When he is asked why he had not joined the king at the time of the latter's flight, he answers that Ziba deceived him, "for thy servant said to him, Saddle me (so read in 2 Samuel 19:26 (Hebrew text, verse 27) with Septuagint and Syriac for Massoretic Text `I will have saddled me') the ass." He then accuses Ziba of falsehood, and David divides the estate between the two, although Mephibosheth is quite willing that Ziba should retain the whole of it.

David Francis Roberts

6717. Tsiba -- a servant in Saul's house
... 6716b, 6717. Tsiba or Tsiba. 6718 . a servant in Saul's house. Transliteration:
Tsiba or Tsiba Phonetic Spelling: (tsee-baw') Short Definition: Ziba. ... Ziba. ...
/hebrew/6717.htm - 6k

How David, when He had Recovered his Kingdom, was Reconciled to ...
... How David, When He Had Recovered His Kingdom, Was Reconciled To Shimei, And To Ziba;
And Showed A Great Affection To Barzillai; And How, Upon The Rise Of A ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 how david when.htm

Concerning the Insurrection of Absalom against David and ...
... CHAPTER 9. Concerning The Insurrection Of Absalom Against David And Concerning
Ahithophel And Hushai; And Concerning Ziba And Shimei; And How Ahithophel Hanged ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 concerning the insurrection.htm

Rash Decisions.
... As David was escaping, there came to him Ziba, a servant of Mephibosheth, with a
couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/xli rash decisions.htm

David's Kindness to Jonathan's Son
... Then David asked, "Is any one left of the family of Saul to whom I may show kindness
for Jonathan's sake?" And there was a servant of Saul named Ziba. ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/davids kindness to jonathans son.htm

David and Jonathan's Son
... 2. And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they
had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/david and jonathans son.htm

How David Brought under the Philistines, and the Moabites, and the ...
... And when the youth had worshipped him on account of his words and gifts given to
him, he called for Ziba, and told him that he had given the youth his father's ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how david brought.htm

Every Inch a King.
... He called Ziba, who had been Saul's servant and said to him,. ... Then Ziba told him
of a man who was lame in both his feet, who was the son of Jonathan. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxiii every inch a.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... CHAPTER 9. Concerning The Insurrection Of Absalom Against David And Concerning
Ahithophel And Hushai; And Concerning Ziba And Shimei; And How Ahithophel Hanged ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The Image of Self.
... Let no man call me a just man, I divided the land of Mephibosheth with his false,
lying slave Ziba, because it went against my pride to go back from what I had ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/lx the image of self.htm

Philippians ii. 4-Jan
... Ziba flattered [591] David out of season, and falsely slandered his master. ... He means
that Ziba had recourse to unworthy means of winning David's favor. ...
/.../homily v philippians ii 4-jan.htm

Ziba (13 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ZIBA. ...Ziba is to be assisted in this by his
sons and servants; he had 15 sons and 20 servants (9:10). ...
/z/ziba.htm - 14k

Ziba's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Ziba's (1 Occurrence). ... And all that dwelt in the house
of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. (See RSV NIV). ...
/z/ziba's.htm - 6k

Mephibosheth (13 Occurrences)
... When David was a fugitive, according to the story of Ziba (2 Samuel 16:1-4)
Mephibosheth proved unfaithful to him, and was consequently deprived of half of ...
/m/mephibosheth.htm - 17k

Mephib'osheth (13 Occurrences)
... in the fruits, that thy master's son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth thy
master's son shall eat bread continually at my table.' Now Ziba had fifteen ...
/m/mephib'osheth.htm - 10k

Grandson (14 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 9:9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All
that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master's son. ...
/g/grandson.htm - 11k

Mephibosheth's (2 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 16:1 And when David was a little past the summit, behold, Ziba, Mephibosheth's
servant, met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two ...
/m/mephibosheth's.htm - 7k

Pertained (18 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 9:9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All
that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master's son. ...
/p/pertained.htm - 12k

Summer (28 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 16:1 When David was a little past the top of the ascent, behold, Ziba the
servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on ...
/s/summer.htm - 17k

Master's (52 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 9:9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All
that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master's son. ...
/m/master's.htm - 23k

Saul's (79 Occurrences)
... (BBE). 2 Samuel 9:2 Now there was of Saul's people a servant named Ziba, and they
sent him to David; and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am. ...
/s/saul's.htm - 31k

Who was Mephibosheth? | GotQuestions.org

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