2 Samuel 9
1 Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”
And David said, “Do you think that there could be anyone left from the house of Saul, so that I might show mercy to him because of Jonathan?”
2 And there was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king inquired, “Are you Ziba?” “I am your servant,” he replied.
Now there was, from the house of Saul, a servant named Ziba. And when the king had called him to himself, he said to him, “Are you not Ziba?” And he responded, “I am your servant.”
3 So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family to whom I can show the kindness of God?” Ziba answered, “There is still Jonathan’s son, who is lame in both feet.”
And the king said, “Could there be anyone alive from the house of Saul, so that I may show the mercy of God to him?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is left alive a son of Jonathan, with disabled feet.”
4 “Where is he?” replied the king. And Ziba said, “Indeed, he is in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel.”
“Where is he?” he said. And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.”
5 So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.
Therefore, king David sent and brought him from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
6 And when Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown in reverence. Then David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied.
And when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell upon his face, and he reverenced. And David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he responded, “Your servant is here.”
7 “Do not be afraid,” said David, “for surely I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”
And David said to him: “Do not be afraid. For I will certainly show mercy to you because of your father Jonathan. And I will restore to you all the fields of your father Saul. And you shall eat bread at my table always.”
8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
And reverencing him, he said, “Who am I, your servant, that you should look with favor upon a dead dog like me?”
9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house.
And so, the king called Ziba, the servant of Saul, and he said to him: “Everything whatsoever that belonged to Saul, and his entire house, I have given to the son of your lord.
10 You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
And so, work the land for him, you and your sons and your servants. And you shall bring in food for the son of your lord, for nourishment. And Mephibosheth, the son of your lord, shall always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 And Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do all that my lord the king has commanded.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s own sons.
And Ziba said to the king: “Just as my lord has ordered your servant, so will your servant do. And Mephibosheth shall eat at my table, like one of the sons of the king.”
12 And Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth.
Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. Truly, all the kindred of the house of Ziba served Mephibosheth.
13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both feet.
But Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem. For he was fed always from the table of the king. And he was lame in both feet.
