2 Samuel 16:2

2 Samuel 16:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.
• New International Version (NIV)The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?” So Ziba said, “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 are faint in the wilderness to drink.”

Context of 2 Samuel 16:2

1When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. “Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.” 3“Where is your master’s grandson?” asked the king. And Ziba answered, “Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.’” 4So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”

2 Samuel 16:2 word by word

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־צִיבָ֖א מָה־אֵ֣לֶּה לָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר צִ֠יבָא הַחֲמוֹרִ֨ים לְבֵית־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לִרְכֹּ֗ב וְהַלֶּ֤חֶם וְהַקַּ֙יִץ֙ לֶאֱכ֣וֹל הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְהַיַּ֕יִן לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת הַיָּעֵ֖ף בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃Read the interlinear

• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• do you have theseאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• ·אֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• ·צִיבָאtsîybâ' · ZibaH6717
• The donkeysחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• householdבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• to rideרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and summer fruitקַ֫יִץqayits · summerH7019
• are for the young menנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and the wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• is to refresh thoseשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• who become exhaustedיָעֵףyâ‛êph · wearyH3287
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:2

• Genesis 21:29and Abimelech asked him, “Why have you set apart these seven ewe lambs?”
• Ezekiel 37:18When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these?’
• 2 Samuel 15:1Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.
• 2 Samuel 19:26“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,
• Judges 5:10You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
• Judges 10:4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair.
• 1 Samuel 25:27Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you.
• 2 Samuel 15:23Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.
• 2 Samuel 17:29honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
• Judges 8:4Then Gideon and his three hundred men came to the Jordan and crossed it, exhausted yet still in pursuit.
• 1 Samuel 14:28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”
• Proverbs 31:6Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The asses be for the king's household - This is the Eastern method of speaking when any thing is presented to a great man: "This and this is for the slaves of the servants of your majesty," when at the same time the presents are intended for the sovereign himself, and are so understood. It is a high Eastern compliment: These presents are not worthy of your acceptance; they are only fit for the slaves of your slaves.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. 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.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 16:2

• Food
• Mephibosheth
• Servant
• Summer
• Ziba

In the dictionaries

• Mephibosheth
• Ass
• Bahurim
• Bible, the
• David
• Faint
• Horse
• Israel, History of
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings