2 Samuel 16:2

2 And the king saith unto Ziba, `What -- these to thee?' and Ziba saith, `The asses for the household of the king to ride on, and the bread and the summer-fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.'

2 Samuel 16:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 16:2

And the king said unto Ziba, what meanest thou by these?
&c.] Are they to be said, or are they presents?

and Ziba said, the asses [be] for the king's household to ride on;
for himself, his wives, and children, his courtiers, and the principal officers of his house; it being usual in those times and countries for great personages to ride on asses, see ( Judges 5:10 ) ;

and the bread and summer fruits for the young men to eat;
the king's menial servants, his guards and his soldiers:

and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink;
where no water was to be had, that their fainting spirits might be revived, and they be able whether to fight or march.

2 Samuel 16:2 In-Context

1 And David hath passed on a little from the top, and lo, Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth -- to meet him, and a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred [of] summer-fruit, and a bottle of wine.

2 And the king saith unto Ziba, `What -- these to thee?' and Ziba saith, `The asses for the household of the king to ride on, and the bread and the summer-fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.'

3 And the king saith, `And where [is] the son of thy lord?' and Ziba saith unto the king, `Lo, he is abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day do the house of Israel give back to me the kingdom of my father.'

4 And the king saith to Ziba, `Lo, thine [are] all that Mephibosheth hath;' and Ziba saith, `I have bowed myself -- I find grace in thine eyes, my lord, O king.'

5 And king David hath come in unto Bahurim, and lo, thence a man is coming out, of the family of the house of Saul, and his name [is] Shimei, son of Gera, he cometh out, coming out and reviling;