2 Samuel 19:17

17 One thousand people from Benjamin were with him. And Ziba, the servant of Saul's family, rushed to the Jordan River across from the king. Ziba brought his 15 sons and 20 servants.

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 The king came back to the Jordan River, and the people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and bring him across the Jordan River.
16 Shimei, Gera's son from the tribe of Benjamin and the town of Bahurim, hurried down with the people of Judah to meet King David.
17 One thousand people from Benjamin were with him. And Ziba, the servant of Saul's family, rushed to the Jordan River across from the king. Ziba brought his 15 sons and 20 servants.
18 They crossed the river to bring over the king's family and to do anything else the king wanted. Shimei, Gera's son, bowed down in front of the king as he was going to cross the Jordan River.
19 He pleaded with the king, "Don't remember the crime I committed the day you left Jerusalem. Don't hold it against me or even think about it, Your Majesty.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.