²⁴ Mephibosheth,^(A) Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you come with me?”

²⁶ “My lord the king,” he replied, “my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said, ‘I’ll saddle the donkey for myself^[a] so that I may ride it and go with the king’—for your servant is lame.^{(B) 27} Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king.^(C) But my lord the king is like the angel of God,^(D) so do whatever you think best.^{[b] 28} For my grandfather’s entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table.^(E) So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king?”

²⁹ The king said to him, “Why keep on speaking about these matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land.”^(F)

³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all!”