When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, ¹  and a container of wine.

This is a message ¹  about the animals in the Negev: Through a land of distress and danger, inhabited by lionesses and roaring lions, ²  by snakes and darting adders, ³  they transport ⁴  their wealth on the backs of donkeys, their riches on the humps of camels, to a nation that cannot help them. ⁵ 

But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. ¹  Afterward they will come out with many possessions.

Make the work harder ¹  for the men so they will keep at it ²  and pay no attention to lying words!” ³ 

I am not able to bear this entire people alone, ¹  because it ²  is too heavy for me!

They brought ¹  it with the ark of God up from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark,

and more cedar logs than could be counted. (The Sidonians and Tyrians had brought a large amount of cedar logs to David.)

“Oh, ¹  if only my grief ²  could be weighed, ³  and my misfortune laid ⁴  on the scales too! ⁵ 

“People ¹  cry out because of the excess of oppression; ²  they cry out for help because of the power ³  of the mighty. ⁴ 

Commit your future to the Lord! ¹  Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. ² 

For my sins overwhelm me; ¹  like a heavy load, they are too much for me to bear.

He brought his people ¹  out enriched ²  with silver and gold; none of his tribes stumbled.

¹ The Lord supports all who fall, and lifts up all who are bent over. ² 

We will seize ¹  all kinds ²  of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder. ³ 

The righteousness of the blameless will make straight their way, ¹  but the wicked person will fall by his own wickedness. ² 

She is like ¹  the merchant ships; ²  she brings her food from afar.

They sweep by like the wind and pass on. ¹  But the one who considers himself a god will be held guilty.” ² 

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. ¹  He journeyed ²  to the region of Aram Naharaim ³  and the city of Nahor.

When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up ¹  and saw ²  a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh down to Egypt. ³