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

1Now when David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’” 4So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O 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

• The kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Zibaצִיבָאtsîybâ' · ZibaH6717
• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• do you have theseאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• The donkeysחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• householdבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• to rideרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• and the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• for the youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and the wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• for whoeverיָעֵףyâ‛êph · wearyH3287
• in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:2

• Genesis 21:29Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?”
• Ezekiel 37:18When the sons of your people speak to you saying, ‘Will you not declare to us what you mean by these?’
• 2 Samuel 15:1Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him.
• 2 Samuel 19:26So he answered, “O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame.
• Judges 5:10You who ride on white donkeys, You who sit on rich carpets, And you who travel on the road--sing!
• Judges 10:4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities in the land of Gilead that are called Havvoth-jair to this day.
• 1 Samuel 25:27Now let this gift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord.
• 2 Samuel 15:23While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.
• 2 Samuel 17:29honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
• Judges 8:4Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing.
• 1 Samuel 14:28Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary.
• Proverbs 31:6Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter.

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