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2 Samuel 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. 10 You will cultivate[l] the land for him—you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce[m] and it will be[n] food for your master’s grandson to eat.[o] But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest[p] at David’s table,[q] just as though he were one of the king’s sons.

12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.

Footnotes

  1. 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. 2 Samuel 9:1 tn Heb “house.”
  3. 2 Samuel 9:2 tn Heb “your servant.”
  4. 2 Samuel 9:3 tn Heb “house.”
  5. 2 Samuel 9:5 tn Heb “sent and took him.”
  6. 2 Samuel 9:5 tn Heb “from.”
  7. 2 Samuel 9:6 tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”
  8. 2 Samuel 9:6 tn Heb “Look, your servant.”
  9. 2 Samuel 9:7 tn Heb “and you will eat food at my table continually.”
  10. 2 Samuel 9:8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  11. 2 Samuel 9:8 tn Heb “What is your servant, that you turn to a dead dog which is like me?”
  12. 2 Samuel 9:10 tn Heb “work.”
  13. 2 Samuel 9:10 tn The Hebrew text implies, but does not actually contain, the words “its produce” here.
  14. 2 Samuel 9:10 tc The words “it will be,” though present in the MT, are absent from the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate.
  15. 2 Samuel 9:10 tn Heb “and he will eat it.”
  16. 2 Samuel 9:11 tn Heb “eating.”
  17. 2 Samuel 9:11 tc Heb “my table.” But the first person reference to David is awkward here since the quotation of David’s words has already been concluded in v. 10; nor does the “my” refer to Ziba, since the latter part of v. 11 does not seem to be part of Ziba’s response to the king. The ancient versions are not unanimous in the way that they render the phrase. The LXX has “the table of David” (τῆς τραπέζης Δαυιδ, tēs trapezēs Dauid); the Syriac Peshitta has “the table of the king” (patureh demalkaʾ); the Vulgate has “your table” (mensam tuam). The present translation follows the LXX.
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2 Samuel 9
Legacy Standard Bible

David’s Lovingkindness to Mephibosheth

9 Then David said, “Is there yet [a]anyone left of the house of Saul, (A)that I may show him lovingkindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you (B)Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the (C)lovingkindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “(D)There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.” 4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is (E)in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and took him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 (F)So Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and (G)fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he said, “Here is your servant!” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for (H)I will surely show lovingkindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and (I)will restore to you all the [b]land of your [c]grandfather Saul; and (J)you shall [d]eat at my table continually.” 8 So he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard (K)a dead dog like me?”

9 Then the king called Saul’s young man Ziba and said to him, “(L)All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s [e]grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s grandson may have food and eat of it; nevertheless (M)Mephibosheth your master’s grandson (N)shall [f]eat at my table continually.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According (O)to all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at [g]David’s table as one of the king’s sons. 12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for (P)he ate at the king’s table continually. Now (Q)he was lame in both feet.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 9:1 Lit he who is
  2. 2 Samuel 9:7 Lit field
  3. 2 Samuel 9:7 Lit father
  4. 2 Samuel 9:7 Lit eat bread
  5. 2 Samuel 9:9 Lit son
  6. 2 Samuel 9:10 Lit eat bread
  7. 2 Samuel 9:11 Lit my
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