2 Samuel 19:17

17 with him were a thousand people from Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king,

2 Samuel 19:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 19:17

And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him
Of which tribe he was, and these were either a band of soldiers, of which he was the chiliarch; or tenants of his, which showed him to be a great man; or his neighbours, and persons of some figure, whom he prevailed upon to come as intercessors for him:

and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul;
who had imposed upon David, and got his master's inheritance from him, knowing that David would be undeceived by Mephibosheth his master, when he came to Jerusalem; and therefore that he might be more tenderly dealt with, and come off the better, he was thus forward to meet the king, and pay his respects to him:

and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him:
which made a considerable appearance; see ( 2 Samuel 9:10 ) ;

and they went over Jordan before the king:
to meet him on the other side, both Shimei and his a thousand men, and Ziba with his sons and servants.

2 Samuel 19:17 In-Context

15 So the king came back to the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring him over the Jordan.

16 Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the people of Judah to meet King David;

17 with him were a thousand people from Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king,

18 while the crossing was taking place, to bring over the king's household, and to do his pleasure. Shimei son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan,

19 and said to the king, "May my lord not hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; may the king not bear it in mind.