2 Samuel 9
Lexham English Bible
David Cares for Mephibosheth
9 Then David said, “Is there still anyone who is left for the house of Saul that I may show loyal love to him for the sake of Jonathan?” 2 Now Saul’s household had a servant whose name was Ziba, so they summoned him to David, and the king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!”[a] 3 Then the king said, “But is there still anyone of Saul’s household that I may show the loyal love of God with him?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in the feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is here[b] in the house of Makir the son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” 5 So King David sent and brought him from the house of Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar. 6 So Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David. And he fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, “Mephibosheth,” and he said, “I am ready to serve you.”[c] 7 Then David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for I will certainly show[d] loyal love to you for the sake of Jonathan your father, and I will restore to you all the lands of Saul your father. And you shall always eat food at my table.” 8 Then he[e] did obeisance and said, “What is your servant that you have paid attention to the dead dog like me?”
9 David summoned Ziba the servant of Saul and said to him, “All that was Saul’s and all his household I have given to the son of your master. 10 You shall till the land for him, you and your sons and your servants; you shall bring in the produce and it shall be food for the son of your master that he may eat. But Mephibosheth the son of your master may always eat food at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.) 11 Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my master the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth was eating at his table as one of the sons of the king. 12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah, and all of the dwelling of the household of Ziba became servants for Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, because he was continually eating at the table of the king, even though he was lame in both of his feet.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 9:2 Literally “Your servant”
- 2 Samuel 9:4 Literally “Look, he”
- 2 Samuel 9:6 Literally “Here is your servant”
- 2 Samuel 9:7 Literally “doing I will do” or “showing I will show”
- 2 Samuel 9:8 Mephibosheth
2 Samuel 9
New King James Version
David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth
9 Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may (A)show him [a]kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was (B)Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”
He said, “At your service!”
3 Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show (C)the kindness of God?”
And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is (D)lame in his feet.”
4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?”
And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of (E)Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”
5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.
6 Now when (F)Mephibosheth[b] the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?”
And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
7 So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.”
8 Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such (G)a dead dog as I?”
9 And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, (H)“I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son (I)shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had (J)fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.”
“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at [c]my table like one of the king’s sons.” 12 Mephibosheth had a young son (K)whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, (L)for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he (M)was lame in both his feet.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 9:1 covenant faithfulness
- 2 Samuel 9:6 Or Merib-Baal
- 2 Samuel 9:11 LXX David’s table
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
