Saul's servant whom David appointed to administer Saul's farms and properties on behalf of Mephibosheth (Jonathan's son) "to show kindness for Jonathan's sake" (2 Sam 9:1).
Once David had established his kingdom and subdued most of the surrounding former enemies, he had time to reflect on past kindnesses, and one of the persons he remembered was Jonathan. From Ziba David found out that Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan, was alive and living in Transjordan. David had Mephibosheth brought to Jerusalem where he would "always eat at my table" (2 Sam 9:7). David also restored to Mephibosheth all of Saul's properties and holdings and made Ziba and his family—he had fifteen sons and twenty servants—responsible for them on behalf of Mephibosheth (vv9-12).
Things took an unhappy turn in the relationship between Mephibosheth, David and Ziba when Absalom revolted against his father to seize the throne for himself. As David fled for his life, he was meet on his departure from Jerusalem with "donkeys are for the king's household to ride on" and "two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine" as provisions for David's entourage in the wilderness (2 Sam 16:1-2). Mephibosheth, however, was visibly absent. When asked, Ziba replied that Mephibosheth had decided to stay put because he thought "Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather's kingdom" (v3). Whether Ziba was here speaking the truth or lied to ingratiate himself to David cannot be ascertained. The result was that David now decided that "All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours [Ziba's]." (v4). When the revolt was finally put down and David returned to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth came, as many others who had not gone off with David, to excuse themselves. When asked by David why he didn't go with him into exile during the revolt, Mephibosheth replied that he had wanted to but was betrayed by Ziba (2 Sam 19:26) David, it was apparent, could not decide who was telling the truth—and did not seem interested to know—off-handedly decided to split all of Saul's former properties between Mephibosheth and Ziba (v29). That was the last we hear of Ziba.
©ALBERITH
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