2 Samuel 9

David Finds Mephibosheth

9:11 Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family2 of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

9:2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.”3 9:3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family,4 that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 9:4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.

9:5 So King David had him brought5 from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in6 Lo Debar. 9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground.7 David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.”8

9:7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. You will be a regular guest at my table.”9 9:8 Then Mephibosheth10 bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?”11

9:9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson. 9:10 You will cultivate12 the land for him – you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce13 and it will be14 food for your master’s grandson to eat.15 But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

9:11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest16 at David’s table,17 just as though he were one of the king’s sons.

9:12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 9:13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem,18 for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.

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