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 passed beyond the top of the Mount of Olives, he met Mephibosheth's servant Ziba. Ziba was waiting there for him with two donkeys. The donkeys were ready for people to ride them. They also carried 200 loaves of bread, 100 blocks of raisins, 100 blocks of figs and a leather bag of wine. The king asked Ziba, ‘Why have you brought all these things?’ Ziba answered, ‘The donkeys are for the king's family to ride. The bread and the fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine will help people who become weak when you travel through the desert.’ 3The king asked, ‘Where is your master's grandson?’ Ziba answered, ‘He is staying in Jerusalem. He thinks that the Israelites will now give back to him his grandfather Saul's kingdom.’ 4Then the king said to Ziba, ‘Everything that Mephibosheth had will now belong to you.’ Ziba said, ‘Thank you, sir. I hope that you will always be pleased with me.’

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Zibaצִיבָאtsîybâ' · ZibaH6717
• The assesחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• householdבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• to ride onרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• and the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and summer fruitקַ֫יִץqayits · summerH7019
• for the young menנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and the wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• that such as be faintיָעֵףyâ‛êph · wearyH3287
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• may drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:2

• Genesis 21:29Abimelech asked Abraham, ‘Why have you put these seven lambs in a different place?’
• Ezekiel 37:18Your people will ask you, “Please tell us what this means.”
• 2 Samuel 15:1Some time later, Absalom bought a chariot and some horses. He had 50 men who ran in front of the chariot to give him honour.
• 2 Samuel 19:26He said, ‘My lord the king, as you know, I cannot walk properly. So I said to my servant, “Prepare a donkey for me to ride, so that I can leave Jerusalem with the king.” But Ziba, my servant, deceived me.
• Judges 5:10Listen to me, you rich people who ride on white donkeys, with beautiful cloths to sit on. And you people who walk along the road, you should listen too!
• Judges 10:4He had 30 sons. They rode on 30 donkeys and they ruled 30 towns in Gilead. These towns are still called Havvoth-Jair (Jair's villages).
• 1 Samuel 25:27My master, please accept these gifts that I have brought for you and for your men.
• 2 Samuel 15:23As David and his men left the city, all the people who saw them wept loudly. The king went across the Kidron Valley and his men followed him. They travelled along the road towards the desert.
• 2 Samuel 17:29honey, cream, sheep and cheese made from cows' milk. They said, ‘The people have travelled through the desert. So they must be tired, thirsty and hungry.’
• Judges 8:4Gideon and his 300 men were weak and tired. But they went across the Jordan and they continued to chase the Midianites.
• 1 Samuel 14:28One of the soldiers told Jonathan, ‘Your father made us promise not to eat any food today. We all agreed that God should curse anyone who eats anything. That is why we are all so weak.’
• Proverbs 31:6Give strong drink to people who are dying. Give wine to people who are very upset.

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