2 Samuel 9

1 And David said, Is there still anyone of Saul's family living, so that I may be a friend to him, because of Jonathan?

And David said: Is there any one, think you, left of the house of Saul, that I may shew kindness to him for Jonathan’s sake?

2 Now there was of Saul's people a servant named Ziba, and they sent him to David; and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am.

Now there was of the house of Saul, a servant named Siba: and when the king had called him to him, he said to him: Art thou Siba? And he answered: I am Siba thy servant.

3 And the king said, Is there anyone of Saul's family still living, to whom I may be a friend in God's name? And Ziba said, There is a son of Jonathan, whose feet are damaged.

And the king said: Is there any one left of the house of Saul, that I may shew the mercy of God unto him? And Siba said to the king: There is a son of Jonathan left, who is lame of his feet.

4 And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

Where is he? said he. And Siba said to the king: Behold he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lodabar.

5 Then King David sent, and had him taken from Lo-debar, from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel.

Then king David sent, and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodabar.

6 And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, came to David, and falling down on his face, gave him honour. And David said, Mephibosheth. And answering he said, Your servant is here.

And when Miphiboseth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul was come to David, he fell on his face and worshipped. And David said: Miphiboseth? And he answered: Behold thy servant.

7 And David said to him, Have no fear: for truly I will be good to you, because of your father Jonathan, and I will give back to you all the land which was Saul's; and you will have a place at my table at all times.

And David said to him: Fear not, for I will surely shew thee mercy for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and I will restore the lands of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table always.

8 And he went down on his face before the king, and said, What is your servant, for you to take note of a dead dog such as I am?

He bowed down to him, and said: Who am I thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?

9 Then the king sent for Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, All the property of Saul and of his family I have given to your master's son.

Then the king called Siba the servant of Saul, and said to him: All that belonged to Saul, and all his house, I have given to thy master’s son.

10 And you and your sons and your servants are to take care of the land for him, and get in the fruit of it, so that your master's son may have food: but Mephibosheth, your master's son, will have a place at my table at all times. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Thou therefore and thy sons and thy servants shall till the land for him: and thou shalt bring in food for thy master’s son, that he may be maintained: and Miphiboseth the son of thy master shall always eat bread at my table. And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then Ziba said to the king, Every order which you have given to your servant will be done. As for Mephibosheth, he had a place at David's table, like one of the king's sons.

And Siba said to the king: As thou my lord the king hast commanded thy servant, so will thy servant do: and Miphiboseth shall eat at my table, as one of the sons of the king.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. And all the people living in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

And Miphiboseth had a young son whose name was Micha: and all the kindred of the house of Siba served Miphiboseth.

13 So Mephibosheth went on living in Jerusalem; for he took all his meals at the king's table; and he had not the use of his feet.

But Miphiboseth dwelt in Jerusalem: because he ate always of the king’s table: and he was lame of both feet.