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 short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, and a container of wine. The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.” 3The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’” 4The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, 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

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, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?”
• Ezekiel 37:18When your people say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what these things mean?’
• 2 Samuel 15:1Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.
• 2 Samuel 19:26He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for I am lame.
• Judges 5:10You who ride on light-colored female donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, you who walk on the road, pay attention!
• Judges 10:4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys and possessed thirty cities. To this day these towns are called Havvoth Jair – they are in the land of Gilead.
• 1 Samuel 25:27Now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the servants who follow my lord.
• 2 Samuel 15:23All the land was weeping loudly as all these people were leaving. As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving on the road that leads to the desert.
• 2 Samuel 17:29honey, curds, flocks, and cheese. For they said, “The people are no doubt hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the desert.”
• Judges 8:4Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites.
• 1 Samuel 14:28Then someone from the army informed him, “Your father put the army under a strict oath saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today!’ That is why the army is tired.”
• Proverbs 31:6Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitterly distressed;

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