Post; statue, “a servant of the house of Saul” (2 Sam. 9:2), who informed David that Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan, was alive. He afterwards dealt treacherously toward Mephibosheth, whom he slanderously misrepresented to David.
Ziba
David is fleeing Jerusalem when a servant meets him on the road with two saddled donkeys, two hundred loaves, raisins and wine. This is Ziba, a servant of Saul’s old household. He tells the king that Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, is staying behind hoping to win the kingdom, and David hands Ziba his master’s property. Later Mephibosheth says, “my servant deceived me,” and David answers, “Thou and Ziba divide the land” (2 Samuel 19:29). The text leaves us unsure who was telling the truth. Read 2 Samuel 16 and then chapter 19 to hear both sides.
9 verses
2 Samuel
2 Samuel 16:1
And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, 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.
2 Samuel 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.
2 Samuel 16:3
And the king said, And where is thy master's son? 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.
2 Samuel 16:4
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.
2 Samuel 19:17
And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
2 Samuel 19:26
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
2 Samuel 19:27
And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
2 Samuel 19:28
For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
2 Samuel 19:29
And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
From Easton's Bible Dictionary
Matthew George Easton, 1897
From Smith's Bible Dictionary
William Smith, 1884
(statue), a servant of Saul whom David made steward of Saul’s son Mephibosheth. (2 Samuel 9:2-18; 16:1-4; 19:17,29) [MEPHIBOSHETH] (B.C. 1023.)