צִיבָא H6717
Ziba — servant of Saul's house and steward of Mephibosheth's estate in the David narratives
A proper name for the servant of the house of Saul who plays a pivotal role in David's dealings with Jonathan's son Mephibosheth. When David seeks to show covenant kindness to Saul's remaining family, Ziba identifies the lame Mephibosheth and is appointed steward of his lands (2 Sam 9:2-12). Later, Ziba meets the fleeing David with provisions during Absalom's revolt and claims Mephibosheth has stayed behind to reclaim the throne, prompting David to transfer the estate (2 Sam 16:1-4). Upon David's return, Mephibosheth disputes Ziba's account, and the king divides the property between them (2 Sam 19:25-30). Rendered 'Siba' in Spanish and 'Tsiba' in French transliterations.
Senses
1. Ziba (personal name) — Ziba (צִיבָא / צִבָא), a personal name for the servant of Saul's household who became steward over Mephibosheth's inherited estate. All sixteen occurrences cluster in 2 Samuel 9, 16, and 19, where Ziba serves as a morally ambiguous figure — loyal servant or self-serving opportunist — whose conflicting testimony about Mephibosheth creates one of the most humanly realistic episodes in the Court History of David. 16×
AR["صيبا", "لِصيبا", "وَ-صيبا", "وَصِيبَا", "وَلِصيبا"]·ben["-সীবাকে", "এবং-সীবা", "এবং-সীবার-জন্য", "সীবা", "সীবাকে", "সীবার"]·DE["Tsiva", "Ziba", "und-Tsiva", "und-zu-Ziba", "zu-Tsiva"]·EN["Tsiva", "Ziba", "and-Tsiva", "and-to-Ziba", "to-Tsiva"]·FR["Tsiba", "et-Tsiba", "et-à-Tsiba", "à-Tsiba"]·heb["ו-ל-ציבא", "ו-ציבא", "ל-ציבא", "ציבא"]·HI["और-सीबा", "और-सीबा-के-लिए", "सीबा", "सीबा-के", "सीबा-ने", "सीबा-से"]·ID["Ziba", "dan-Ziba", "dan-bagi-Ziba", "kepada-Ziba"]·IT["Tsiba", "Tsiva", "a-Tsiva", "e-Tsiva", "e-a-Tsiba"]·jav["Ziba", "dhateng-Ziba", "lan-Ziba", "lan-kanggé-Ziba"]·KO["그리고-시바가", "그리고-시바에게", "시바", "시바가", "시바냐", "시바라", "시바에게", "시바의"]·PT["Tsiva'", "Tziva", "a-Tziva", "e-Tsiva", "e-para-Tsiva'", "és-Tsiva'"]·RU["-Циве", "Цива", "Циве", "Циву", "Цивы", "а-у-Цивы", "и-Цива"]·ES["Siba", "Siba?", "Tsibá", "a-Tsibá", "y-Tsiva", "y-a-Siba"]·SW["Siba", "kwa-Siba", "na-Siba"]·TR["Tsiva", "Tsiva'nın", "Tsiva'ya", "Tsiva'yı", "ve-Tsiva", "ve-Tsiva'ya"]·urd["اور-صیبا", "اور-صیبا-کے", "صیبا", "صیبا-تھا", "صیبا-نے", "صیبا-کو", "صیبا-کے", "صیبا-ہے"]
2 Sam 9:2, 2 Sam 9:2, 2 Sam 9:3, 2 Sam 9:4, 2 Sam 9:9, 2 Sam 9:10, 2 Sam 9:11, 2 Sam 9:12, 2 Sam 16:1, 2 Sam 16:2, 2 Sam 16:2, 2 Sam 16:3 (+4 more)
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
צִיבָא and (2 S 16:4) צִבָא16 n.pr.m. Σ(ε)ιβα: servant of Saul’s house, 2 S 9:2(×2) + 14 times 9, 16, 19.