2 Samuel 16:1

_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._ When David was a little past the top, х_ MEEHAARO'SH_ (H7218)] - the head or summit of the mountain. [The Septuagint renders it: apo tees Roos, as if it were the name of the place.] 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. AN HUNDRED OF SUMMER FRUITS, х_ QAYITS_ (H7019)] - summer-fruit harvest, special harvest of figs. х_ UWMEE'AAH_ (H3967) _ QAYITS_ ...

1-4 Ziba belied Mephibosheth. Great men ought always to be jealous of flatterers, and to be careful that they hear both sides....

CHAPTER XVI _Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth, meets David with provisions, and_ _by false insinuations obtains the grant of his masters_ _property_, 1-4. _Shimei abuses and curses David, who restrains Abishai from_ _slaying him_, 5-14. _Hushai makes a feigned tender of his services to Absalom_, 15-19. _Absalom calls a council and Ahithophel advises him to go in to_ _his father's concubines_, 20-22. _Character of Ahithophel as a counselor_, 23. NOTES ON CHAP. XVI Verse...

A COUPLE OF DONKEYS SADDLED - Those that Mephibosheth and his servant should have ridden. See 2 Samuel 19:26 note....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 16:1 ZIBA THE SERVANT OF MEPHIBOSHETH. It is the misfortune of troubled times like those in which David found himself, that unscrupulous men use them for selfish purposes. For those in danger have no time for careful examination, nor are their minds sufficiently calm for impartial judgment, but they act on first impressions, and catch at every straw. Ziba's present would naturally raise everybody's spirits, and be taken as a good omen; for it showed that David had adherents in unlikely quarters, when thus a servant of the house of Saul of his own accord brought so timely an offering. The asses saddled for riding contradict the idea that Ziba met David by chance as he was bringing the produce of the farm for the use of Mephibosheth's household. More probably the asses had been saddled for Mephibosheth's own use, and

AND WHEN DAVID WAS A LITTLE PAST THE TOP [OF THE HILL],.... Of the mount of Olives, the ascent of which he is said to go up by, and to come to the top of it, 2 Samuel 15:30; BEHOLD, ZIBA, THE SERVANT OF MEPHIBOSHETH, MET HIM; of whom see 2 Samuel 9:2; WITH A COUPLE OF ASSES SADDLED: and so fit to ride on, but for the present he used them to another purpose: AND UPON THEM TWO HUNDRED [LOAVES] OF BREAD; an hundred on each ass very probably: AND AN HUNDRED BUNCHES OF RAISINS; or dried grapes, as the Targum: AND AN HUNDRED OF SUMMER FRUITS: not in number, but in weight, as apples, pears, plums, apricots, c. so the Targum, an hundred pounds of figs: AND A BOTTLE OF WINE: a cask or flagon of w

6. THE SORROWS AND TESTINGS OF THE KING CHAPTER 16 _ 1. Lying Ziba (2 Samuel 16:1)_ 2. Shimei curses and stones David (2 Samuel 16:5) 3. Absalom enters Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:15) 4. Ahitophel's wicked counsel (2 Samuel 16:20) Ziba in great craftiness meets the exiled king with provisions and acts as the false accuser of Mephibosheth. And David hastily puts all that belongs to Mephibosheth into his hands. Strange that David could believe in the falsehood of Ziba. How could one who was a helpless cripple aspire to possess a kingdom? Mephibosheth had been deceived ...

Soon after passing the summit of the Mt. of Olives David is met by Ziba, the servant of Meri-baal (2 Samuel 4:4), with a present of two asses laden with provisions. Ziba, representing that Meri-baal has turned traitor, obtains a grant of his property. 2 SAMUEL 16:5. At Bahurim, somewhere on the way to the Jordan, Shimei, a kinsman of Saul, follows David, uttering curses and throwing stones. David refuses to retaliate, feeling that his sufferings may move Yahweh to pity him. 2 SAMUEL 16:14. It is probable that the name of some place has dropped out. 1 Samuel 16:15 to...

TOP. Compare 2 Samuel 15:32. BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos._ App-6. MEPHIBOSHETH. Now thirty-one. Born in 965. Compare 2 Samuel 4:4. BOTTLE. skin-bottle (Joshua 9:4.Matthew 9:17; Matthew 9:17). WINE. Hebrew. _yayin._ See App-27....

2 Samuel 16:1-4. David met by Ziba with a present 1. _the top of the hill_ See note on ch. 2 Samuel 15:32. _two hundred loaves of bread_, &c. Compare Abigail's present (1 Samuel 25:18). Ziba was shrewd enough to foresee the result of the rebellion, and wished to secure the king's favour. _an hundred of summer fruits_ Probably cakes of dried figs (so the Vulg.) or dates (so the Sept.). Cp. Amos 8:1. _a bottle of wine_ A SKIN, holding a considerable quantity....