Home › Glossary › Letter Z

Ziba

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Servant of Saul’s house who deceived David about Mephibosheth’s loyalty

Detailed Definition
Ziba, steward to Mephibosheth, brought provisions to David during Absalom’s revolt and falsely claimed his master sought the throne (2 Samuel 16:1–4; 19:24–30). In poetry, Ziba embodies treacherous opportunism, the manipulation of generosity, and the ambiguity of service—often portrayed as a figure whose gifts mask betrayal, symbolizing how loyalty can be weaponized for personal gain.
Example
Example in poetry:
In 2 Samuel 16:1–4, Ziba deceives David about Mephibosheth—a moment dramatized in poetry about betrayal and perception; Contemporary verse explores Ziba’s gift of provisions as both generosity and manipulation; In poems about loyalty, Ziba’s actions contrast with Mephibosheth’s later humility; Some liturgical laments depict Ziba as opportunist in time of royal crisis; Educational poems cite Ziba to teach about narrative ambiguity and motive; Poetic meditations use Ziba to explore how crisis reveals character.
Additional Notes
Ziba, servant of Saul’s house, deceives David by slandering Mephibosheth during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 16, 19); his opportunism reveals the moral ambiguity of loyalty in crisis; poets may use Ziba to explore betrayal, the manipulation of truth, or the vulnerability of the disabled and dispossessed in political upheaval.
Also Known As
Ziba servant of Saul Ziba steward of Mephibosheth
Skip to main content