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Ziba

A servant of Saul’s family whose account of his master clashed with his master’s own.

Old Testament · c. 1000 BC · 2 Samuel · Also known as Servant of Saul’s house

About Ziba

Ziba was a servant of King Saul’s household. When David asked, "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him?" Ziba told him, "Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet." David restored Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and appointed Ziba, with "fifteen sons and twenty servants," to farm it. During Absalom’s rebellion, Ziba met the fleeing king with food and donkeys and claimed Mephibosheth was hoping to regain Saul’s kingdom. David gave Ziba everything. But when David returned, Mephibosheth said, "my servant deceived me." David told them to divide the land.

This guide speaks about Ziba, not as him, because his honesty is in question. Scripture records both his story and Mephibosheth’s without saying outright who was telling the truth, though Mephibosheth’s unwashed state suggests he had been mourning David all along.

The story

Of the house of Saul

"And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba." David asked him, "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet."

2 Samuel 9:1-4

Fifteen sons and twenty servants

David gave Mephibosheth "all that pertained to Saul and to all his house," and told Ziba, "Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him." "Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants."

2 Samuel 9:9-13

Thine are all

As David fled from Absalom, Ziba met him with donkeys, "two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine." Asked where his master was, Ziba said he had stayed in Jerusalem, saying, "To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father." The king said, "Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth."

2 Samuel 16:1-4

My servant deceived me

When David returned, Mephibosheth came out; he "had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed." "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me." David said, "Thou and Ziba divide the land." Mephibosheth answered, "Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house."

2 Samuel 19:24-30

Key moments

Questions about Ziba

Did Ziba lie about Mephibosheth?

Scripture gives both accounts. Ziba claimed Mephibosheth stayed behind saying, "To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father." Mephibosheth said, "my servant deceived me," explaining he was lame and couldn’t saddle a donkey himself. The narrator adds that he hadn’t "dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes" since David left, signs of mourning. Most readers conclude Ziba lied, though David split the land between them.

How did Ziba help David?

Twice. He told David where to find Jonathan’s son, so David could "shew the kindness of God" to Saul’s family. And when David fled from Absalom, Ziba met him with "a couple of asses saddled," bread, raisins, summer fruits and wine, "that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink." His help was real, even if his motives may not have been pure.

Why did David divide the land?

David told Mephibosheth, "Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land." Scripture doesn’t explain his decision. Perhaps he couldn’t be sure who was telling the truth, or wanted to avoid more conflict on the day of his return. Mephibosheth answered, "Yea, let him take all," caring more for the king than for property.

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Read it yourself

Start with 2 Samuel 9; 16:1-4; 19:24-30.

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