Ziba
시바
Named at 2 Samuel 9:2: “There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba”. At 9:2–4 the king says to him, “Are you Ziba?”, and he says, “I am your servant”; he tells the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet”, and “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” At 9:9–11 the king calls to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and says, “Till the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat”; Ziba has fifteen sons and twenty servants, and he says to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” 9:12 says, “All who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.” 2 Samuel 16:1–4 says that when David was a little past the top, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine, and that when the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours”, Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.” 2 Samuel 19:16–17 says that when Shimei the son of Gera came down to meet King David, there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king; and 19:25–29 that Mephibosheth answered the king, “My lord, O 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. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king”, and that the king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”
Direct relationships 4
Open in the full graphCollected relationship evidence
Source-backed narrative relations; not independent historical verification. Legacy dates and coordinates are outside this review.
Collection & rightsSource evidence (5)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 2SA 9:1–8, engwebp
1David said, “Is there yet any who is left of Saul’s house, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
2There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am your servant.”
3The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.”
4The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”
5Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.
6Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth?” He answered, “Behold, your servant!”
7David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.”
8He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”
- 2SA 9:9–13, engwebp
9Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son.
10Till the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table like one of the king’s sons.
12Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.
13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.
- 2SA 16:1–4, engwebp
1When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.
2The king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.”
3The king said, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’”
4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”
- 2SA 19:16–23, engwebp
16Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
17There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.
18A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had come over the Jordan.
19He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
22David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?”
23The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.
- 2SA 19:24–30, engwebp
24Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.
25When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”
26He answered, “My lord, O 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.
27He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.
28For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should appeal any more to the king?”
29The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”
30Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”
AI-assisted, human review pending, 2026-09-26
Machine comparison on 2026-10-07: the wording raised none of the 3 rules against the passages this entry cites. No person has read it.
Unresolved interpretation: Ziba’s words at 2 Samuel 16:3 and Mephibosheth’s at 19:26–27
- 2 Samuel 16:3 says that the king said, “Where is your master’s son?”, and that Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’” At 16:4 the king says to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.”
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 2SA 16:1–4, engwebp
1When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.
2The king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.”
3The king said, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’”
4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”
- 2SA 16:1–4, engwebp
- 2 Samuel 19:25 has the king say to Mephibosheth, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” At 19:26–27 he answers, “My lord, O 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. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king”. At 19:29–30 the king says, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land”, and Mephibosheth says to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 2SA 19:24–30, engwebp
24Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.
25When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”
26He answered, “My lord, O 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.
27He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.
28For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should appeal any more to the king?”
29The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”
30Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”
- 2SA 19:24–30, engwebp
2 Samuel 16:3 says that when the king asked, “Where is your master’s son?”, Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’” 16:4 says that the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” 19:25–30 says that when the king asked Mephibosheth why he didn’t go with him, Mephibosheth answered, “My lord, O 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. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king”, and that the king said, “I say, you and Ziba divide the land.” The text does not say which of the two spoke truly. This collection records what each passage says and does not decide whose words were true.
All 4 relationships: AI-assisted, human review pending
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Took part in (4) — David says he will show Mephibosheth kindness for Jonathan’s sake, The king calls Ziba, Saul’s servant, and Mephibosheth eats continually at the king’s table, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth meets David with donkeys laden with bread and wine, Shimei the son of Gera falls down before the king, and the king swears to him
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There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am your servant.”
The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.”
The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”
Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son.
Till the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table like one of the king’s sons.
Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.
When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.
The king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.”
The king said, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’”
Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”
There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.
The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”
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[Bibliadatum entry report] Entry: Ziba (person-ziba) Address: https://bibliadatum.org/en/wiki/person/ziba Current wording: Named at 2 Samuel 9:2: “There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba”. At 9:2–4 the king says to him, “Are you Ziba?”, and he says, “I am your servant”; he tells the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet”, and “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” At 9:9–11 the king calls to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and says, “Till the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat”; Ziba has fifteen sons and twenty servants, and he says to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” 9:12 says, “All who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.” 2 Samuel 16:1–4 says that when David was a little past the top, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine, and that when the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours”, Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.” 2 Samuel 19:16–17 says that when Shimei the son of Gera came down to meet King David, there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king; and 19:25–29 that Mephibosheth answered the king, “My lord, O 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. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king”, and that the king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.” Cited evidence: 2SA 9:1–8, engwebp / 2SA 9:9–13, engwebp / 2SA 16:1–4, engwebp / 2SA 19:16–23, engwebp / 2SA 19:24–30, engwebp Review state: ai-assisted / human-review-pending What looks wrong: (not written yet) --- This collection records what the text says and does not settle interpretation. A report about a reading that divides opinion may be registered as an unresolved issue rather than corrected.