2 Samuel 16:4

2Sa 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.

Ver. 4. Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth.] Thus poor Mephibosheth is condemned and punished causa inaudita, before he was heard speak for himself: so was the Lord Cromwell in Henry VIII’s time. His enemies durst not bring him to his answer, nor try him by his peers; but procured an Act of attainder, whereby he was condemned, before he was heard: yet the king not long after his death repented that haste, wishing him alive again, &c. David had good cause to repent and retract this his error; but did it to the halves: where we may easily observe that the best men are but men; and that it is a very dangerous thing for a magistrate to receive gifts. Olim didici quid sint munera, said one.

And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee.] Flattering Ziba doth more harm to good David, than railing Shimei Beware of such flatters, Oι κολακες κοραχες

That I may find grace in thy sight.] Utinam semper ira me ames. {a} I do highly esteem thy gift, but much more thy favour. So should we do God’s as that which sugareth all comforts, and is the mother blessing. When Cyrus had given Artabazus a cup of gold, and Chrysantas a kiss in token of his special favour, Artabazus was discontented, and said that the kiss was better gold than the cup. {b}

{a} Vatab.

{b} Xenoph.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hebrew, I worship.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 4. Thine are all] This conduct of David was very rash; he spoiled an honourable man to reward a villain, not giving himself time to look into the circumstances of the case. But David was in heavy afflictions, and these sometimes make even a wise man mad. Nothing should be done rashly; he who is in the habit of obeying the first impulse of his passions or feelings, will seldom do a right action, and never keep a clear conscience.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(4) I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace.—Literally, I bow myself down; let me find favour.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. Behold, thine are all, &c.] David was rash and hasty in thus treating his grant to Mephibosheth as forfeited by treason without a word of inquiry. This unreflecting impetuosity was a marked fault of his character. Cp. 1Sa_25:13 ff.

I humbly beseech thee, &c.] Rather, I bow myself down:—equivalent to our “I lay myself at thy feet,” an Oriental expression of gratitude:—let me find favour in thine eyes, my lord, O king. Cp. 1Sa_1:18.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then said the king to Ziba, behold, thine are all that pertaineth to Mephibosheth,.... Being forfeited to the king by an overt act of treason as they had been before by the rebellion of Ishbosheth, but had been graciously restored to Mephibosheth; and had it been true what Ziba suggested, it would have been a righteous thing to have taken them from him; though it seems to be too hasty a step in David to take and give them away without further inquiry:

and Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king; he had found favour already, but seems not to be sufficiently thankful for it, and satisfied with it, but craved more and other favours, when opportunity should serve.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

All. In the East, crimes are generally punished with the loss of goods. (Calmet) --- Kings. He intimates that he had not spoken against his master, with a design to obtain his effects. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth; a rash sentence, and unrighteous, to condemn a man unheard, upon the single testimony of his accuser and servant. But David’s mind was both clouded by the deep sense of his calamity, and biassed by Ziba’s great and seasonable kindness, And he might think that Ziba would not dare to accuse his master of so great a crime, which, if false, might so easily be disproved.

I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight: thy favour is more to me than this gift; which, as a token of thy favour, I accept with all thankfulness.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Then said the king to Ziba — David’s mind was excited, and unprepared to weigh the words of this slave. It was very unlikely that Mephibosheth would entertain the hope of attaining the kingdom of his grandfather Saul, for the adherents of Absalom could not think of preferring before him the crippled son of the half-forgotten Jonathan. But after he heard that his own former familiar friend Ahithophel had turned against him, he knew not how far the conspiracy might extend.

And Ziba said — The cunning slave acknowledged the king’s favour with words characteristic of eastern sycophancy and politeness.

I humbly beseech thee — Literally, I have bowed myself; I shall find favour in thy eyes. He was in an ecstasy of joy over his good fortune.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I humbly beseech thee that, etc. The words are really a form of grateful acceptance. "I do obeisance" (see margin), that is, "I make my humble bow: may I find favour," etc.; may the king continue to look favourably upon me.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold - A rash sentence, and unrighteous to condemn a man unheard, upon the single testimony of his accuser, and servant. Find grace - Thy favour is more to me, than this gift; which, as a token of thy favour, I accept with all thankfulness.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.