Ziba Brings Provisions to David

Ziba stands beside loaded donkeys on the road, raising one hand in greeting while holding a staff in the other. The animals carry sacks, vessels, and baskets of food, presenting the moment when the servant of Mephibosheth brings supplies to King David during David’s flight from Absalom. The packed burdens point to bread, fruit, and wine given for the weary household in the wilderness. In 2 Samuel 16, this encounter reveals both the urgency of David’s exile and the complex loyalties surrounding his throne. The scene is useful for teaching on provision in crisis, royal exile, hospitality, and the troubled family conflict that followed David’s reign. by S. M. Davis