2 Samuel 9:1-9
New English Translation
David Finds Mephibosheth
9 [a] Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family[b] of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”
2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.”[c] 3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family[d] that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
5 So King David had him brought[e] from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in[f] Lo Debar. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground.[g] David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.”[h]
7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. I will give back to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will be a regular guest at my table.”[i] 8 Then Mephibosheth[j] bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?”[k]
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 9:1 sn 2 Samuel 9-20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.
- 2 Samuel 9:1 tn Heb “house.”
- 2 Samuel 9:2 tn Heb “your servant.”
- 2 Samuel 9:3 tn Heb “house.”
- 2 Samuel 9:5 tn Heb “sent and took him.”
- 2 Samuel 9:5 tn Heb “from.”
- 2 Samuel 9:6 tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”
- 2 Samuel 9:6 tn Heb “Look, your servant.”
- 2 Samuel 9:7 tn Heb “and you will eat food at my table continually.”
- 2 Samuel 9:8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 2 Samuel 9:8 tn Heb “What is your servant, that you turn to a dead dog which is like me?”
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.