Poole on 2 Samuel 16:1-4: Ziba's Gambit

Verse 1:[1]  And (2 Sam. 15:30, 32) when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, (2 Sam. 9:2) 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.

[He appeared, etc.]  He went forth, either, 1.  from the city [Jerusalem], as it is shown in verse 3 (Sanchez); or, 2.  from some nearby estate of Mephibosheth, of whose goods he was the overseer (Menochius).  Ziba was keen; he was persuaded that David was going to be restored, otherwise he would have turned himself toward Absalom.  He seizes the opportunity; he clothes himself with the persona of a dutiful man (Martyr).

Ziba; a crafty man, who, being persuaded that God would in due time appear for the righteous cause of so good a king, and scatter the cloud which was now upon him, takes this occasion to make way for his future advancement.

[Bunches uvæ passæ, of dried grapes (thus Pagnine, Tigurinus), ‎צִמּוּקִים [2]]  Botri sicci, of dried grapes (Montanus); botri passi, of dried grapes (Septuagint); vines of grapes (Munster, Jonathan) dried (Jonathan).  Bunches uvarum passarum, of dried grapes (Osiander); a hundred uvæ passæ, of dried grapes (Junius and Tremellius).

[A hundred lumps of figs, ‎וּמֵ֥אָה קַ֖יִץ]  A hundred summer fruits (Montanus).  A hundred of summer (or of summer fruits [Tigurinus]), understanding either fruits (Piscator), or lumps (Mariana, Tigurinus).  An Ellipsis, and a genitive of subject (Piscator); that is, fruits that are dried in summer, like figs (Mariana).  Lumps of summer figs (Munster), or of carics[3] (Pagnine); a hundred figs (Septuagint, the Chaldean in Mariana), that is, carics (Mariana).

A bottle; a large bottle or vessel proportionable to the other provisions.

Verse 2:[4]  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, (2 Sam. 15:23; 17:29) that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

[For the domestics of the king]  That is, his wives (Vatablus out of Malvenda, Menochius, Martyr).  He detracts from his own office, as an unworthy King (Martyr).  ‎לְבֵית־הַמֶּלֶךְ, for the house (family [Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius, Munster]) of the king (Tigurinus, Montanus), that is, by asses shall be carried members of the household, etc. (Vatablus), should anyone from thy household be fatigued (Lyra).  Others:  to bear the baggage of the house of the king (Syriac, similarly the Arabic).

For the king’s household to ride on; for the king and his wives and children were all on foot; not that he had not or could not procure asses for them at Jerusalem, but because he chose it as best becoming that state of penitence and humiliation in which they were.

[The bread]  [Thus all interpreters, following the Qere, which is ‎וְהַלֶּחֶם, and the bread.  But the Kethib is ‎וּלְהַלֶּחֶם, and for the bread; or, as Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals reads it, וּלְהִלָּחֶם, and to fight.]  Those asses are for the family of the king to ride, and to fight; but interpreters were judging it absurd for asses to serve military uses (Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals 1:1:2:12); but without reason; for the Saracens were fighting from asses, as the Greeks were from horses, says Ælian, History of Animals 12:34.  And, when Darius attacked the Scythians,[5] the frisking asses of the Persians cast the horses of the Scythians into confusion, says Strabo.  And Merwan[6] of the twenty-one Caliphs was called the Ass of Mesopotamia, because he was unmovable in war; for an ass of war is said never to flee.  Thus Elmacinus[7] in his Saracen History[8] 1:21 (Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals 1:2:13:189).

Verse 3:[9]  And the king said, And where is thy master’s son?  (2 Sam. 19:27) And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem:  for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

[Where is the son of thy master?]  Mephibosheth; because he did not know whether he was giving those things in his own, or in the name of his master (Menochius).

[Saying, Today it shall be restored, etc.]  A gross misrepresentation.  See 2 Samuel 19:26.  There are some calumnies so plausible, that they are able to impose even upon the most prudent of Kings (Grotius).  This was able to appear likely:  1.  Because kingdoms are things to be sought; 2.  Because he was a grandson of Saul; 3.  Because he did not see him in his company, who ought especially to be present.  4.  The condition of the times was increasing suspicion; all things were in confusion; many were treacherous, who were especially obliged to be loyal (Martyr).  Yet this calumny was improbable, since the desire of all was turned toward Absalom; and Mephibosheth, bound in his members, and brought up in domestic leisure, would not be fit for the kingdom (Menochius).  Even the memory of Jonathan alone, and the disability of Mephibosheth ought to have restrained David from rashly believing anything.  There is an ancient saying, especially useful to Princes, Νῆφε καὶ μέμνησ᾽ ἀπιστεῖν, Be watchful, and remember to question (Menochius).

To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father:  Which though it might seem a very unlikely thing, yet such vain expectations do often get into the minds of men; nor was it impossible, that when David’s family was thus divided, and one part engaged against another, they might destroy themselves by mutual wounds; and the people being tired out with civil wars, might restore the kingdom to the family of Saul their old master, whereof this was the top branch.  And this was a time of general defection of many whom the king had greatly obliged, witness Ahithophel.  And Mephibosheth’s absence made the calumny more probable.

Verse 4:[10]  (Prov. 18:13) Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth.  And Ziba said, I humbly beseech (Heb. I do obeisance[11]) thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

[All are thine]  David’s credulity is certainly too much (Menochius), and his rashness; for he condemns a man unheard and without witnesses; he was content with the accusation of Ziba.  Moreover, there was ingratitude in this sentence:  then an oath is violated.  It is strange, that not one of his counselors advises him to defer sentence.  Those were unwilling to incur the displeasure of the king.  Hence it comes to pass, that those in great place are not corrected.  Great is the calamity of David:  he suffers, and inflicts, injury.  He is overcome by two grievous evils, flattery[12] and the corruption of gifts[13] (Martyr).  But he did not think that Ziba would lie in a matter so great, and the truth of which could easily be discovered.  Add that those that bring help to the wretched, as Ziba does not to David, appear to be good men; and that those perturbed with sorrow are less apt to perceive what is true:  which things, nevertheless, do not excuse David, as if he sinned not in condemning a man unheard (Menochius).  Moreover, this injustice in David, wherein he unjustly enriched one servant, by God chastened through another servant (Shimei) (Lapide).  Perhaps Ziba was thinking, that his lord was to be killed immediately, and that this province was to be entrusted to himself; therefore, he acts so audaciously (Martyr).

[Let them be thine, etc.]  That is, as a result of confiscation on account of the crime of treason.  Kings bestow many things with their eyes shut, especially in war, says Seneca, Concerning Benefits 4:37.  Thus informers, a race of men discovered for public ruin, indeed never sufficiently restrained by punishments, were elicited by rewards:  Tacitus’ Annals 4 (Grotius).  But our ancestors were unwilling to be inquired of by a servant against his master (except concerning incest:  For the Jurisconsults except the crime of adultery, of a fraudulent property assessment, and of treason); not because the truth could not be found; but because it appeared to be undignified, and more sorrowful than death itself to the master, says Cicero (Gataker).

Thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth; a rash sentence, and unrighteous, to condemn a man unheard, upon the single testimony of his accuser and servant.  But David’s mind was both clouded by the deep sense of his calamity, and biassed by Ziba’s great and seasonable kindness.  And he might think that Ziba would not dare to accuse his master of so great a crime, which, if false, might so easily be disproved.

[I pray, that I may find grace in thy sight (similarly Pagnine, Tigurinus)]  That is to say, I value thy grace, more than the gift that thou hast bestowed upon me (Mariana).  I have not come here for the sake of accusation, or so that I might be admitted to the goods of Mephibosheth; but so that I might bear my soul to thee, and be able to obtain grace, which to me shall be the equivalent of all goods (Menochius).  He contends with modesty and cunning, that he might will that benefit to be perpetual (Sanchez).  Be thou as gracious to me hereafter, as thou art now (Malvenda out of Junius, similarly Osiander).  וגו״ ‎הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִי אֶמְצָא־חֵ֥ן, I have bowed myself (Montanus, Vatablus) (I give thanks [Chaldean in Vatablus, Castalio]):  those that give thanks are wont to show their gratitude of soul by some external sign [Vatablus]:  I worship [Montanus, Septuagint (namely, in the Complutensian)]; bowing myself, I give honor [Junius and Tremellius]); let me find grace, etc. (Montanus, Vatablus, etc.); that is to say, Would that thou wouldest always thus love me (Vatablus).  The perfect is here written in the place of the present (Munster).

I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight:  thy favour is more to me than this gift; which, as a token of thy favour, I accept with all thankfulness.

[1] Hebrew: וְדָוִ֗ד עָבַ֤ר מְעַט֙ מֵֽהָרֹ֔אשׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה צִיבָ֛א נַ֥עַר מְפִי־בֹ֖שֶׁת לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וְצֶ֙מֶד חֲמֹרִ֜ים חֲבֻשִׁ֗ים וַעֲלֵיהֶם֩ מָאתַ֙יִם לֶ֜חֶם וּמֵאָ֧ה צִמּוּקִ֛ים וּמֵ֥אָה קַ֖יִץ וְנֵ֥בֶל יָֽיִן׃

[2] צָמַק signifies to dry up.

[3] A type of fig from Caria in southwestern Asia Minor.

[4] Hebrew: וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־צִיבָ֖א מָה־אֵ֣לֶּה לָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר צִ֠יבָא הַחֲמוֹרִ֙ים לְבֵית־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לִרְכֹּ֗ב וּלְהַלֶּ֤חֶם וְהַקַּ֙יִץ֙ לֶאֱכ֣וֹל הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְהַיַּ֕יִן לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת הַיָּעֵ֖ף בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

[5] Darius the Great ruled the Medo-Persian Empire from 522 to 486 BC.  Darius invaded Scythia in 513 BC.

[6] Marwan I was the Umayyad Caliph from 684 to 685.

[7] George Elmacinus was a thirteenth century Egyptian Christian.

[8] Historia Saracenica.

[9] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאַיֵּ֖ה בֶּן־אֲדֹנֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר צִיבָ֜א אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הִנֵּה֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר הַיּ֗וֹם יָשִׁ֤יבוּ לִי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת מַמְלְכ֥וּת אָבִֽי׃

[10] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְצִבָ֔א הִנֵּ֣ה לְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִמְפִי־בֹ֑שֶׁת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִי אֶמְצָא־חֵ֥ן בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

[11] Hebrew:  ‎הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי.

[12] See Psalm 12:2; Proverbs 26:28; 29:5.

[13] See Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19; Proverbs 17:23.