Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

61 (For the one directing. With stringed instruments. Of Dovid). Hear my cry, Elohim; attend unto my tefillah.

^2 (3) From the end of ha’aretz will I call unto Thee, when my lev is overwhelmed; lead me to the Tzur that is higher than I.

^3 (4) For Thou hast been a refuge for me, and a migdal oz (tower of strength) from the enemy.

^4 (5) I will abide in Thy ohel forever; I will take refuge in the covert of Thy wings. Selah.

^5 (6) For Thou, Elohim, hast heard my nederim; Thou hast given me the yerushat yirei Shemecha (inheritance of those that fear Thy Name).

^6 (7) Thou wilt prolong days of the Melech, and his shanot dor vador.

^7 (8) He shall abide before Elohim forever; O appoint chesed and emes, to preserve him.

^8 (9) So will I sing praise unto Shimecha forever, that I may yom yom (daily) perform my nederim.

9 And Dovid said, Is there yet any that is left of the Bais Sha’ul, that I may show him chesed for the sake of Yonatan?

² And there was of the Bais Sha’ul an eved and shmo was Tziva. And when they had called him unto Dovid, HaMelech said unto him, Art thou Tziva? And he replied, Thy eved.

³ And HaMelech said, Is there not yet any of the Bais Sha’ul, that I may show the chesed Elohim unto him? And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Yonatan hath yet a ben, which is nakheh (crippled, lame) raglayim (both feet).

⁴ And HaMelech said unto him, Eifoh hu (where is he)? And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Hinei, he is in the Bais Machir Ben Ammiel, in Lo-Devar.

⁵ Then HaMelech Dovid sent, and had him brought out of the Bais Machir Ben Ammiel, from Lo-Devar.

⁶ Now when Mephivoshet Ben Yonatan Ben Sha’ul, was come unto Dovid, he fell on his face, and prostated himself. And Dovid said, Mephivoshet. And he answered, Hinei, thy eved!

⁷ And Dovid said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show thee chesed for sake of Yonatan Avicha, and will restore thee kol sadeh Shaul Avicha; and thou shalt eat lechem at my shulchan tamid.

⁸ And he prostated himself, and said, What is thy eved, that thou shouldest look upon such a kelev hamet (dead dog) as I am?

⁹ Then HaMelech called to Tziva na’ar Sha’ul, and said unto him, I have given unto thy adon’s ben all that pertained to Sha’ul and to all his Bais.

¹⁰ Thou therefore, and thy banim, and thy avadim, shall till the adamah for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy adon’s ben may have lechem to eat; but Mephivoshet the ben adonecha shall eat lechem tamid at my shulchan. Now Tziva had fifteen banim and twenty avadim.

¹¹ Then said Tziva unto HaMelech, According to all that adoni HaMelech hath commanded his eved, so shall thy eved do. As for Mephivoshet, said HaMelech, he shall eat at my shulchan, as one of the Bnei HaMelech.

¹² And Mephivoshet had a ben katan, shmo Micha. And kol moshav Bais Tziva were avadim unto Mephivoshet.

¹³ So Mephivoshet dwelt in Yerushalayim; for he did eat continually at the shulchan HaMelech; and was pisei’ach (crippled) in both his raglayim.

15 Now all the mochesim (taxcollectors) and the chote’im (sinners) were coming near Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach to listen to him.

² And both the Perushim and the Sofrim were grumbling, saying, This one gives a kabbalat panim reception to chote’im (sinners) and eats at tish with them.

³ And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach told them this mashal, saying,

⁴ What man of you, if he has meah kevasim (a hundred sheep) and has lost from them one, does not leave the tishim vteshah (ninety-nine) in the open pasture, and go for the one which has been lost until he finds it?

⁵ And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders with lev same’ach. [TEHILLIM 23;119; YIRMEYAH 31:10; YECHEZKEL 34:11-16]

⁶ And when he returns to his bais, he calls together his chaverim and his shchenim (neighbors), saying to them, Make a simcha with me, because I have found my keves (sheep), the one that was lost!

⁷ I say to you that in the same way there will be more simcha in Shomayim over one choteh (sinner) who becomes a baal teshuva than over tishim vteshah tzaddikim who have no need of teshuva.