Ziba

Ziba was a servant of the house of Saul who played a complex and controversial role during the reign of King David. When David sought to show kindness to any surviving member of Saul's family for the sake of his covenant with Jonathan, Ziba informed the king about Mephibosheth, Jonathan's crippled son, who was living in obscurity. David restored Saul's lands to Mephibosheth and appointed Ziba along with his fifteen sons and twenty servants to farm the land on Mephibosheth's behalf. However, during Absalom's rebellion, when David fled Jerusalem, Ziba met the king with provisions and falsely claimed that Mephibosheth had stayed behind hoping to reclaim Saul's throne. David, acting on this report, granted all of Mephibosheth's property to Ziba. When David returned after Absalom's defeat, Mephibosheth appeared unkempt and grieving, explaining that Ziba had deceived him and abandoned him due to his disability. David, unable to determine the full truth, divided the property between them. Ziba's story raises enduring questions about opportunism, the manipulation of powerful people during crises, and the difficulty of discerning truth when self-interest clouds testimony.

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Biography

Occupation: Servant of Saul's household
Tribe: Benjamin
Children: Fifteen sons
Era: United Kingdom
Nationality: Israelite

Family

Ziba

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Children

Fifteen sons

Old Testament United Kingdom Supporting Character

Key Passages

Ziba Reveals Mephibosheth

2 Samuel 9:1-12

Ziba provides information that leads to David's restoration of Mephibosheth, though his motives may already be self-serving.

A¹nd David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

² And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. ³ And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. ⁴ And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. ⁵ Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. ⁶ Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! ⁷ And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. ⁸ And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? ⁹ Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. ¹⁰ Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. ¹¹ Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. ¹² And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

Read full chapter: 2 Samuel 9 →

Ziba's Deception During Absalom's Revolt

2 Samuel 16:1-4

Ziba exploits the crisis to slander his master and seize his property, revealing the dangers of opportunism in times of upheaval.

A¹nd when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

² And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. ³ And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. ⁴ Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

Read full chapter: 2 Samuel 16 →

Ziba

Biography

Family

Key Passages

Ziba Reveals Mephibosheth

Ziba's Deception During Absalom's Revolt

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