Ziba צִיבָא
Servant of Saul's household, later served David
Biography
Ziba was a servant of Saul's household who later became a servant of King David. He first appears in the narrative when David inquires about any remaining members of Saul's family to whom he can show kindness. Ziba informs David about Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, who was lame in both feet. David grants Mephibosheth all of Saul's land and appoints Ziba, along with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, to manage the property on Mephibosheth's behalf. Later, during Absalom's rebellion, Ziba meets David with supplies and falsely claims that Mephibosheth had hoped to regain the kingdom. David then grants Ziba all of Mephibosheth's possessions. After Absalom's death, when David returns to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth explains that Ziba had deceived him, and David divides the land between Ziba and Mephibosheth. Ziba's actions throughout the story suggest that he was an opportunist seeking to gain favor and wealth through his service to the king.
In Scripture
1 biblical book2 Samuel 5 verses
- 2 Samuel 9:2
"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.”"
- 2 Samuel 9:3
"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.”"
- 2 Samuel 9:4
"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.”"
- 2 Samuel 9:9
"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."
- 2 Samuel 9:10
"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."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | צִיבָא | H6717 |
Ziba
o David when the king inquired if there was not a member of Saul's family that he could show kindness to (compare David's oath to Jonathan in 1Sa 20:14 ff). Ziba tells David of Mephibosheth (Meribbaal), Jonathan's son, who is thereupon taken to the king from Lodebar, East of the Jordan, and given Saul's estate. Ziba is also bidden to till the land and bring in its produce, and "it shall be food for thy master's son," according to Massoretic Text in 2Sa 9:10 b; but the Septuagint and Lucian have a better reading, "thy master's household." Mephibosheth himself is to eat at David's table. Ziba is to be assisted in this by his sons and servants; he had 15 sons and 20 servants (9:10).
When David has to leave Jerusalem at the time of Absalom's revolt, Ziba (2Sa 16:1-4) takes two asses for members of the king's household to ride on, and 200 loaves and 100 clusters of raisins as provisions for the youths. When asked where Mephibosheth is, he accuses his master of remaining behind purposely in hopes that his father's kingdom would be restored to him. David then confers upon Ziba his master's estate.
After Absalom's death, David sets out to return to Jerusalem from Mahanaim, East of Jordan. Ziba with his sons and servants, as we are told in a parenthesis in 2Sa 19:17,18 a (Hebrew verses 18,19a), by means of a ferry-boat goes backward and forward over Jordan, and thus enables the king's household to cross. But he has wrongly accused his master of treacherous lukewarmness toward David, for Mephibosheth meets the king on his return journey to Jerusalem (2Sa 19:24-30 (Hebrew verses 25-31)) with signs of grief. When he is asked why he had not joined the king at the time of the latter's flight, he answers that Ziba deceived him, "for thy servant said to him, Saddle me (so read in 2Sa 19:26 (Hebrew text, verse 27) with Septuagint and Syriac for Massoretic Text `I will have saddled me') the ass." He then accuses Ziba of falsehood, and David divides the estate between the two, although Mephibosheth is quite willing that Ziba should retain the whole of it.
David Francis Roberts
zib'-e-on (tsibh`on, "hyena"; HPN, 95; Sebegon): A Horite chief (Ge 36:2,14,20,<ref osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.24