2 Samuel 16:4
in 2 Samuel 16So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king.
KJV
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 16
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThine are all - This conduct of David was very rash; he spoiled an honorable man to reward a villain, not giving himself time to look into the circumstances of the case. But David was in heavy afflictions, and these sometimes make even a wise man mad. Nothing should be done rashly; he who is in the habit of obeying the first impulse of his passions or feelings, will seldom do a right action, and never keep a clear conscience.
This site's exposition
a little past the top of the hill
on 2 Samuel 16:1-4
Ziba meets the fleeing king with provisions and a claim: that Mephibosheth stayed behind at Jerusalem hoping the kingdom would be restored to Saul's house. David grants him all that pertained to Mephibosheth on that one report, without sending to ask the other side. The text withholds its own verdict on Ziba's honesty until Mephibosheth answers him at 19:24-30, and the reader is asked to wait as David did not.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
This matter was well settled; but, it seems, Ziba is not content to be manager, he longs to be master, of Mephibosheth's estate. Now, he thinks, is his time to make himself so; if he can procure a grant of it from the crown, whether David or Absalom get the better it is all one to him, he hopes he shall secure his prey, which he promises himself by fishing in troubled waters.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: 8 The L ORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the L ORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v7-8
Behold - A rash sentence, and unrighteous to condemn a man unheard, upon the single testimony of his accuser, and servant. Find grace - Thy favour is more to me, than this gift; which, as a token of thy favour, I accept with all thankfulness.
Then said the king to Ziba, behold, thine are all that pertaineth to Mephibosheth,....
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לְצִבָ֔א | letziva' | to Ziba | H6717 → | 16 times |
| הִנֵּ֣ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| לְךָ֔ | lekha | [belongs] to <the> you | ||
| כֹּ֖ל | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לִמְפִי־ | limfi- | [belonged] to Mephi- | H4648 → | 18 times |
| בֹ֑שֶׁת | voshet | -bosheth | H4648 → | 18 times |
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| צִיבָא֙ | tziva' | Ziba | H6717 → | 16 times |
| הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִי | hishtachaveiti | I bow down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| אֶמְצָא־ | ʾemtza'- | may I find | H4672 → | 455 times |
| חֵ֥ן | chen | favor | H2580 → | 69 times |
| בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ | beeineikha | in view your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֥י | ʾadoni | O lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
לְצִבָ֔אto Ziba
letziva'H6717 →16 times
הִנֵּ֣הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
לְךָ֔[belongs] to <the> you
lekha
כֹּ֖לall
kolH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לִמְפִי־[belonged] to Mephi-
limfi-H4648 →18 times
בֹ֑שֶׁת-bosheth
voshetH4648 →18 times
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
צִיבָא֙Ziba
tziva'H6717 →16 times
הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִיI bow down
hishtachaveitiH7812 →172 times
אֶמְצָא־may I find
ʾemtza'-H4672 →455 times
חֵ֥ןfavor
chenH2580 →69 times
בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָin view your
beeineikhaH5869 →887 times
אֲדֹנִ֥יO lord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 18:17The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:13
He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Proverbs 18:13
Through
Proverbs 18:13He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
it leads to
- John 7:51
“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
- John 7:51
Through
Proverbs 19:2Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.
it leads to
- Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
- Proverbs 29:20
Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- Philippians 1:9
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
- Proverbs 21:5
Through
Deuteronomy 19:15A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or…
it leads to
- Numbers 35:30
If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a…
- Deuteronomy 17:6
On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
- Numbers 35:30
Through
Exodus 23:8Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 16:19
Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
- Deuteronomy 16:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.