Add parallel Print Page Options

24 Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. 28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?”

29 The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”

30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”

Read full chapter

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!”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 19:26 LXX, Syr, Vg read said to him, ‘Saddle the donkey for me
  2. 19:27 Lit do what is good in your eyes