2 Samuel 19:26

26 "My lord the king," he replied, "my servant [Ziba] betrayed me. Actually your servant said: 'I'll saddle the donkey for myself^[a] so that I may ride it and go with the king'-for your servant is lame.^[b]

2 Samuel 19:26 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 19:26

And he answered, my lord, O king, my servant deceived me
His servant Ziba, who, instead of saddling an ass for him by his order, went off with that and another himself, ( 2 Samuel 16:1 ) ; for thy servant

said, I will saddle me an ass;
he not only determined this in his own mind, but gave orders to his servant to saddle one for him:

that I may ride thereon, and go to the king, because thy servant [is]
lame;
and could not walk afoot, being lame of both his feet, ( 2 Samuel 4:4 ) ( 2 Samuel 9:3 2 Samuel 9:13 ) .

2 Samuel 19:26 In-Context

24 Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his moustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely.

25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Mephibosheth, why didn't you come with me?"

26 "My lord the king," he replied, "my servant [Ziba] betrayed me. Actually your servant said: 'I'll saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride it and go with the king'-for your servant is lame.

27 Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the Angel of God, so do whatever you think best.

28 For my grandfather's entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king?"

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX, Syr, Vg read said to him, 'Saddle the donkey for me
• [b]. 2 Sm 4:4