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David Cares for Mephibosheth

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?” 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] 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.” 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.” So King David sent and brought him from the house of Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar. 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] 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.” Then he[e] did obeisance and said, “What is your servant that you have paid attention to the dead dog like me?”

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

  1. 2 Samuel 9:2 Literally “Your servant”
  2. 2 Samuel 9:4 Literally “Look, he”
  3. 2 Samuel 9:6 Literally “Here is your servant”
  4. 2 Samuel 9:7 Literally “doing I will do” or “showing I will show”
  5. 2 Samuel 9:8 Mephibosheth

David said, “Is there yet any who is left of Saul’s house, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

He said, “I am your servant.”

The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?”

Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.”

The king said to him, “Where is he?”

Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”

Then king David sent, and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth.”

He answered, “Behold, your servant!”

David said to him, “Don’t be afraid; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.”

He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?” Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son. 10 Till the land for him, you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.”

Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.