24 Then (A)Mephibosheth the [a]grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; but (B)he had neither [b]tended to his feet, nor [c]trimmed his mustache, nor (C)washed his clothes since the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 And it was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “(D)Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 So he said, “My lord the king, my servant betrayed me; for your servant said, ‘I will [d]saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ (E)since your servant cannot walk. 27 Furthermore, (F)he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is (G)like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28 For (H)all my father’s household was only people worthy of death to my lord the king; (I)yet you placed your servant among those who ate at your own table. So what right do I still have, that I should [e]complain anymore to the king?” 29 So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have [f]decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 19:24 Lit son
  2. 2 Samuel 19:24 Lit done
  3. 2 Samuel 19:24 Lit done
  4. 2 Samuel 19:26 I.e., have the donkey saddled
  5. 2 Samuel 19:28 Lit cry out
  6. 2 Samuel 19:29 Lit said

24 Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also came down to meet the king. He hadn’t taken care of his feet, trimmed his beard, 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 go with me?”

26 “My master and king,” Mephibosheth answered, “my servant abandoned me! Because your servant is lame, I asked my servant, ‘Saddle a donkey for me[a] so I can ride and go to the king.’ 27 So Ziba has slandered your servant to my master and king, but my master and king is a messenger of God. So do whatever seems best to you. 28 Even though all the members of my grandfather’s family were nothing short of demonic[b] toward my master and king, you still put your servant with those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to beg for still more from the king?”

29 “You don’t need to talk any more about this,” the king said to him. “I order you and Ziba to divide the property.”

30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take all of it, since my master and king has come home safely.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 19:26 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT your servant said, I will saddle a donkey for myself
  2. 2 Samuel 19:28 Or were doomed to death by my master the king; MT men of death