2 Samuel 9

1 And David says, “Is there yet any left of the house of Saul, and I do with him kindness 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 And the house of Saul has a servant, and his name [is] Ziba, and they call for him to David; and the king says to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he says, “Your servant.”

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 says, “Is there not yet a man of the house of Saul, and I do with him the kindness of God?” And Ziba says to the king, “Jonathan has yet a son—lame.”

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 says to him, “Where [is] he?” And Ziba says to the king, “Behold, he [is] in the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, in Behold-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 And King David sends, and takes him out of the house of Machir son of Ammiel, of Behold-Debar,

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

6 and Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, comes to David, and falls on his face, and pays respect, and David says, “Mephibosheth”; and he says, “Behold, your servant.”

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 says to him, “Do not be afraid; for I certainly do with you kindness because of your father Jonathan, and have given back to you all the field of your father Saul, and you continually eat bread at my table.”

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 bows himself and says, “What [is] your servant, that you have turned to the dead dog—such as I?”

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 And the king calls to Ziba servant of Saul and says to him, “All that was of Saul and of all his house, I have given to the son of your lord,

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 have served the land for him, you and your sons, and your servants, and have brought in, and there has been bread for the son of your lord, and he has eaten it; and Mephibosheth, son of your lord, continually eats bread at my table”; and Ziba has 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 And Ziba says to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant does.” “As for Mephibosheth,” [says the king, ] “he is eating at my table as one of the sons of the king.”

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 has a young son, and his name [is] Micha, and everyone dwelling in the house of Ziba [are] 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 And Mephibosheth is dwelling in Jerusalem, for he is continually eating at the table of the king, and he [is] lame [in] his two feet.

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