2 Samuel 16 · Verse 3

2 Samuel 16:3

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.
2 Samuel 16:3, King James Version

2 Samuel 16:3 in other translations

BSB“Where is your master’s grandson?” asked the king. And Ziba answered, “Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.’”
WEBThe king said, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’”
ASVAnd 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 will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
YLTAnd 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.'
DARBYAnd the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
BBEAnd the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said, He is still at Jerusalem: for he said, Today Israel will give back to me the kingdom of my father.
WebsterAnd the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

What does 2 Samuel 16:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. To-day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father--Such a hope might not unnaturally arise at this period of civil distraction, that the family of David would destroy themselves by their mutual broils, and the people reinstate the old dynasty. There was an air of plausibility in Ziba's story. Many, on whom the king had conferred favors, were now deserting him. No wonder, therefore, that in the excitement of momentary feeling, believing, on the report of a slanderer, Mephibosheth to be among the number, he pronounced a rash and unrighteous judgment by which a great injury was inflicted on the character and interests of a devoted friend. 2Sa 16:5-19. Shimei Curses David.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 To-day shall the house of Israel - What a base wretch was Ziba! and how unfounded was this accusation against the peaceable, loyal and innocent Mephibosheth!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:1-4

Ziba belied Mephibosheth. Great men ought always to be jealous of flatterers, and to be careful that they hear both sides.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 16:1-4 →

2 Samuel 16:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
וְאַיֵּ֖הve.'ai.Yehand where?H346
בֶּן\־ben-[is] [the] son ofH1121
אֲדֹנֶ֑יךָ'a.do.Nei.khamaster<s> yourH113
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
צִיבָ֜אtzi.Va'ZibaH6717
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
הִנֵּה֙hi.Nehthere!H2009
יוֹשֵׁ֣בyo.Shev[he is] dwellingH3427
בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֔םbi.ru.sha.Limin JerusalemH3389
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
אָמַ֔ר'a.Marhe saidH559
הַיּ֗וֹםhai.Yomthis dayH3117
יָשִׁ֤יבוּya.Shi.vuthey will restoreH7725
לִי֙lito <the> me
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
מַמְלְכ֥וּתmam.le.Khut[the] kingdom ofH4468
אָבִֽי\׃'a.Vifather myH1

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 16:3

  • 2 Samuel 9:9-10

    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. 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.

  • Psalms 15:3

    He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

  • Psalms 88:18

    Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

  • 2 Samuel 19:24-30

    And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace. And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame. And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes. …

  • Proverbs 1:19

    So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

  • Proverbs 21:28

    A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

  • Exodus 20:16

    Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

  • 1 Timothy 6:9-10

    But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

  • Micah 7:5

    Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

  • Jude 1:11

    Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

  • Psalms 101:5

    Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

  • Deuteronomy 19:18-19

    And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
where is.
9:9,10; Ps 88:18; Mic 7:5
Today.
19:24-30; Ex 20:16; De 19:18,19; Ps 15:3; 101:5; Pr 1:19; 21:28
1Ti 6:9,10; Jude 1:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 16:2

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 16:3

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 16:4

    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 all of 2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijo el rey: ¿Dónde está el hijo de tu señor? Y Siba respondió al rey: He aquí él se ha quedado en Jerusalem, porque ha dicho: Hoy me devolverá la casa de Israel el reino de mi padre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le roi dit: Et où est le fils de ton seigneur? Et Tsiba dit au roi: Voici, il est demeuré à Jérusalem; car il a dit: Aujourd’hui la maison d’Israël me rendra le royaume de mon père.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der König sprach: Und wo ist der Sohn deines Herrn? Und Ziba sprach zu dem König: Siehe, er bleibt in Jerusalem; denn er sprach: Heute wird mir das Haus Israel das Königtum meines Vaters wiedergeben!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et ait rex: Ubi est filius domini tui? Responditque Siba regi: Remansit in Jerusalem, dicens: Hodie restituet mihi domus Israël regnum patris mei.