214 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

estate that had belonged to Saul his father, and enter-
tained him at his own table as one of the royal family.
Now Ziba, when he came to meet David on his weary
journey, brought with him a couple of asses saddled, and
loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred
bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and one
bottle of wine. “What meanest thou by these ?” the
king said. Ziba replied, “The asses be for the king’s
household to ride upon, and the bread and the summer
fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine that such
as be faint in the wilderness may drink.” “ Where is
thy master’s son ?” asked the king. Ziba’s answer was,
“ Behold he abideth at Jerusalem, for he said, ‘To-day
shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my
father.’ ”

Marianne. Oh, what a bad man! Did he really wish
David to lose the kingdom when he had been so kind to
him?

Grandfather. He did not. His servant was saying
what was not true; but David believed him, for he said
immediately, “ Behold thine are all that pertained unto
Mephibosheth.”

Marianne. Then he gave away all Mephibosheth’s
estate; that was a pity,—he would be sorry when he
found that what Ziba had said was not true.

Grandfather. Yes, he was; and we are shewn by his
example the folly of passing an opinion before we have
heard both sides. Soon after the encounter with Ziba, as
the king still proceeded onwards, a man called Shimei, of