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Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

New Life Version

2 Samuel 16:3

Then the king said, "Where is your owner's son?" And Ziba answered, "He is staying in Jerusalem. For he said, ‘Today the family of Israel will return to me the nation of my father.'"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Mephibosheth;   Servant;   Slander;   Ziba;   Thompson Chain Reference - Mephibosheth;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Servants;   Slander;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Hadadezer or Hadarezer;   Mephibosheth;   Ziba;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Mephibosheth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ziba;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Ziba;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Samuel, Books of;   Ziba;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Mephibosheth ;   Ziba ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Jerusalem;   Mephibosheth;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Mephib'osheth;   Zi'ba;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Mephibosheth;   Samuel, Books of;   Tale;   Ziba;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Calumny;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Where is your master’s grandson?” the king asked.
Hebrew Names Version
The king said, Where is your master's son? Tziva said to the king, Behold, he abides at Yerushalayim; for he said, Today will the house of Yisra'el restore me the kingdom of my father.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Then the king said, "Where is the son of your lord?" And Ziba said to the king, "He is living in Jerusalem for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel shall return the kingdom of my father to me.'"
English Standard Version
And the king said, "And where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.'"
New Century Version
The king asked, "Where is Mephibosheth?" Ziba answered him, "Mephibosheth is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will give my father's kingdom back to me!'"
New English Translation
The king asked, "Where is your master's grandson?" Ziba replied to the king, "He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather's kingdom.'"
Amplified Bible
Then the king said, "And where is your master's son [Mephibosheth]?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.'"
New American Standard Bible
Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.'"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the king sayde, But where is thy masters sonne? Then Ziba answered the King, Beholde, he remayneth in Ierusalem: for he sayde, This day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdome of my father.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will return the kingdom of my father to me.'"
Contemporary English Version
"And where is Mephibosheth?" David asked. Ziba answered, "He stayed in Jerusalem, because he thinks the people of Israel want him to rule the kingdom of his grandfather Saul."
Complete Jewish Bible
The king asked, "Where is your master's [grand]son?" Tziva answered the king, "He's staying in Yerushalayim, because he said, ‘Today the house of Isra'el will restore my father's kingship to me.'"
Darby Translation
And 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.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the king asked, "And where is Mephibosheth?" Ziba answered the king, "Mephibosheth is staying in Jerusalem. He said, ‘Today the Israelites will give my father's kingdom back to me.'"
George Lamsa Translation
And the king said to him, Where is your masters son? Ziba said to him, Behold he remains at Jerusalem; for he said, Today shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of Saul my father.
Good News Translation
"Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your master Saul?" the king asked him. "He is staying in Jerusalem," Ziba answered, "because he is convinced that the Israelites will now restore to him the kingdom of his grandfather Saul."
Literal Translation
And the king said, And where is the son of your lord? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give back to me the kingdom of my father.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The kynge sayde: Where is thy lordes sonne? Siba sayde vnto the kynge: Beholde, he abyde that Ierusale, for he saide: To daye shal ye house of Israel restore my fathers kigdome vnto me.
American Standard Version
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 will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
Bible in Basic English
And 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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king sayde: Where is thy maisters sonne? Ziba aunswered vnto the king, Behold he tarieth still at Hierusalem: For he sayde, This day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdome of my father.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.'
King James Version (1611)
And the king said, And where is thy masters sonne? and Ziba said vnto the king, Behold, he abideth at Ierusalem: for hee said, To day shall the house of Israel restore mee the kingdome of my father.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king said, And where is the son of thy master? and Siba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.
English Revised Version
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, Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
Berean Standard Bible
"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.'"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the kyng seide, Where is the sone of thi lord? And Siba answeride to the kyng, He dwellide in Jerusalem, `and seide, To dai the Lord of the hows of Israel schal restore to me the rewme of my fadir.
Young's Literal Translation
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.'
Update Bible Version
And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Look, he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, Today will the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.
Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.
World English Bible
The king said, Where is your master's son? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, Today will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
New King James Version
Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, "Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me."'
New Living Translation
"And where is Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson?" the king asked him. "He stayed in Jerusalem," Ziba replied. "He said, ‘Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul.'"
New Revised Standard
The king said, "And where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "He remains in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather's kingdom.'"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said the king, And where is thy lord's son? And Ziba said unto the king - Lo! abiding in Jerusalem, for he said, To-day, will the house of Israel, restore unto me, the kingdom of my father.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said: Where is thy master’s son? And Siba answered the king: He remained in Jerusalem, saying: To day, will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
Revised Standard Version
And the king said, "And where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.'"
THE MESSAGE
The king said, "And where is your master's grandson?" "He stayed in Jerusalem," said Ziba. "He said, ‘This is the day Israel is going to restore my grandfather's kingdom to me.'"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.'"

Contextual Overview

1 When David had gone a short way past the mountain top, Mephibosheth's servant Ziba met him with two donkeys ready for traveling. On them were 200 loaves of bread, 100 vines of dried grapes, 100 summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2 The king said to Ziba, "Why do you have these?" And Ziba said, "The donkeys are for those of the king's house to travel on. The bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. And the wine drink is for whoever is weak in the desert." 3 Then the king said, "Where is your owner's son?" And Ziba answered, "He is staying in Jerusalem. For he said, ‘Today the family of Israel will return to me the nation of my father.'" 4 So the king said to Ziba, "See, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours." And Ziba said, "I bow down in honor to you. O my lord the king, let me find favor in your eyes!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

where is: 2 Samuel 9:9, 2 Samuel 9:10, Psalms 88:18, Micah 7:5

day: 2 Samuel 19:24-30, Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 19:18, Deuteronomy 19:19, Psalms 15:3, Psalms 101:5, Proverbs 1:19, Proverbs 21:28, 1 Timothy 6:9, 1 Timothy 6:10, Jude 1:11

Reciprocal: Exodus 23:1 - shalt not 2 Samuel 19:26 - I will saddle 2 Samuel 19:27 - slandered

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Now Abram's wife Sarai had not given birth to any children. She had a woman servant from Egypt whose name was Hagar.
Genesis 16:4
He went in to Hagar, and she was going to have a child. And when she saw that she was going to have a child, she began to hate Sarai.
Genesis 16:5
Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be upon you. I gave the woman who served me into your arms. But when she saw that she was going to have a child, she began to hate me. May the Lord judge who is guilty or not between you and me."
Genesis 25:6
But while he was still living, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the women he kept who acted as his wives. And he sent them to the land of the East, away from his son Isaac.
Genesis 28:9
So Esau went to Ishmael, and married Mahalath the daughter of Abraham's son Ishmael, the sister of Nebaioth. He added her to the wives he already had.
Genesis 30:4
So she gave Bilhah to him for a wife, the woman who served her. And Jacob went in to her.
Genesis 30:9
Leah saw that she had stopped giving birth. So she took Zilpah, the woman who served her, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
Genesis 32:22
But he got up that same night and crossed the Jabbok River, with his two wives, the two women who served him, and his eleven children.
Genesis 35:22
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, the woman who acted as his father's wife. And Israel heard about it. There were twelve sons of Jacob.
2 Samuel 5:13
David took more wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron. And more sons and daughters were born to him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king said, and where [is] thy master's son?.... The son of Saul, who was Ziba's master, meaning Mephibosheth:

and Ziba said unto the king, behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; as there was reason for it, since he was lame of both his feet, 2 Samuel 9:13, though he could have rode upon an ass, and followed the king, as he proposed to do; but his servant deceived him, and carried off the asses to serve a purpose for himself, see 2 Samuel 19:26;

for he said, today shall the house of Israel restore unto me the kingdom of my father; his father Saul; which was far from his thoughts; and a most wicked suggestion of his servant to blacken his character, and get his estate from him; nor was there the least probability of the kingdom coming to him, but all the reverse; for let it go how it would with David, Absalom, and not Mephibosheth, stood fair for the kingdom.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thy master’s son - Meaning Saul’s grandson 2 Samuel 9:6. David asks the question, evidently hurt at the apparent ingratitude of Mephibosheth. It is impossible to say whether Mephibosheth was quite guiltless or not. If Psalms 116:0 was composed by David, and after the quelling of Absalom’s rebellion, 2 Samuel 16:11 may contain David’s confession of his present hasty judgment 2 Samuel 16:4 in the matter.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 16:3. 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!


 
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