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.”
Parallel Translations
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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.”
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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.
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And the king said unto Ziba: 'What meanest thou by these?' And Ziba said: 'The asses 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 such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.'
Cross-references (13)
Passages linked to 2 Samuel 16:2 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Samuel 17:29 honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
- Judges 10:4 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts. They had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
- Judges 5:10 “Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way.
- Genesis 21:29 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs, which you have set by themselves, mean?”
- Genesis 33:8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
- Judges 8:4-5 Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing. He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
- 1 Samuel 14:28 Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ ” So the people were faint.
- 1 Samuel 25:27 Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.
- 2 Samuel 15:1 After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him.
- 2 Samuel 15:23 All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
- 2 Samuel 19:26 He 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.
- Proverbs 31:6-7 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
- Ezekiel 37:18 “When the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Commonly there are no viler traitors than they, which…
Commonly there are no viler traitors than they, which under pretence of friendship accuse others.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Sa 16:2 And the king said unto Ziba, What…
2Sa 16:2 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.
Ver. 2. What meanest thou by these?] Is it thy master’s doing, or thine own?
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For the young men to eat.] A modesty not unlike that of Abigail, to see to, {1Sa 25:27} only that was real, this in semblance.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain For the king’s household to ride on; for the…
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.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And the king said unto Ziba, what meanest thou…
And the king said unto Ziba, what meanest thou by these?.... Are they to be said, or are they presents?
and Ziba said, the asses be for the king's household to ride on; for himself, his wives, and children, his courtiers, and the principal officers of his house; it being usual in those times and countries for great personages to ride on asses, see Jdg 5:10,
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and the bread and summer fruits for the young men to eat; the king's menial servants, his guards and his soldiers:
and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink; where no water was to be had, that their fainting spirits might be revived, and they be able whether to fight or march.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 2. The asses be for the king's household]…
Verse 2. The 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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Sa 16:2. The asses be for the king’s household…
2Sa 16:2. The asses be for the king’s household to ride on — Or, rather, some of his household, for they could not all ride on two asses, unless by turns, relieving each other, which perhaps Ziba intended; for he seems to have been very considerate in adapting his present to the wants of David and those that were with him. It appears, the king, and his wives and children, were all on foot: not because he had not, or could not procure, asses for them at Jerusalem; but because he chose they should go in this manner, as best becoming that state of penitence and humiliation in which they were.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Loaves. Hebrew, "and to fight." But the Septuagint and…
Loaves. Hebrew, "and to fight." But the Septuagint and the Masorets reject the letter l, which causes the difference. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain The asses be for the king's household to ride…
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.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 2. the wilderness] See note on ch. 2Sa_15:23.
2. the wilderness] See note on ch. 2Sa_15:23.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.