2 Samuel 16:1

“And when David was a little past the top [of the hill], etc.] Of the mount of Olives, the ascent of which he is said to go up by, and to come to the top of it, (<101530>2 Samuel 15:30,32); behold, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met him; of whom (see <100902>2 Samuel 9:2); with a couple of asses saddled: and so fit to ride on, but for the present he used them to another purpose: and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread; an hundred on each ass very probably: and an hundred bunches of raisins; or dried grapes, as the Targum: and an hundred of summer fruits: not in number, but in weight, as apples, pears, plums, apricots, etc. so the Targum, an hundred pounds of figs: and a bottle of…”

“ZIBA, BY FALSE SUGGESTIONS, CLAIMS HIS MASTER'S INHERITANCE. (Sa2 16:1-4) Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him--This crafty man, anticipating the certain failure of Absalom's conspiracy, took steps to prepare for his future advancement on the restoration of the king. a bottle of wine--a large goatskin vessel. Its size made the supply of wine proportioned to the rest of his present.”

“A couple of donkeys saddled - Those that Mephibosheth and his servant should have ridden. See 2 Samuel 19:26 note. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Bottle - A large bottle, or vessel proportionable to the other provisions. 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 16:4”

“16:1 Ziba: See study note on 9:11; see also 9:1-13; 19:24-30. • As Saul’s grandson (16:3), Mephibosheth was a potential rival for the throne.”

“little past: Sa2 15:30, Sa2 15:32 Ziba: Sa2 9:2, Sa2 9:9-12 with a couple: Sa2 17:27-29, Sa2 19:32; Sa1 17:17, Sa1 17:18, Sa1 25:18; Ch1 12:40; Pro 18:16, Pro 29:4, Pro 29:5 summer: These were probably pumpkins, cucumbers, or water-melons; the two latter being extensively used in the East to refresh travellers in the burning heat of the summer; and probably, as Mr. Harmer supposes, called summer fruits on this very account. Jer 40:10, Jer 40:12; Amo 8:1; Mic 7:1 a bottle: Sa1 10:3, Sa1 16:20 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 16:2”

“Ziba's faithless conduct towards Mephibosheth. - Sa2 16:1. When David had gone a little over the height (of the Mount of Olives: הראשׁ points back to Sa2 15:32), Mephibosheth's servant Ziba came to meet him, with a couple of asses saddled, and laden with two hundred loaves, a hundred raisin-cakes, a hundred date or fig-cakes, and a skin of wine. The word קיץ corresponds to the Greek ὀπώρα, as the lxx have rendered it in Jer 40:10, Jer 40:12, and is used to signify summer fruits, both here and in Amo 8:1 (Symm.). The early translators rendered it lumps of figs in the present passage (παλάθαι; cf. Ges. Thes. p. 1209). The Septuagint only has ἑκατὸν φοίνικες. The latter is certainly the…”