2 SamuelChapter 9
Tap any verse to comment or suggest a better wording.
1Then David asked, "Is anyone still left from Saul's family? I want to be kind to him because of Jonathan." 2There was a servant from Saul's family named Ziba. They called him to come to David. The king asked him, "Are you Ziba?" "I am your servant," he said. 3So the king asked, "Is anyone still left from Saul's family? I want to show him God's kindness." Ziba answered, "There is still a son of Jonathan. Both his feet are crippled." 4"Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba said, "He is in Lo-debar. He is at the house of Machir son of Ammiel." 5So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. 6Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. He came to David and bowed with his face to the ground to show respect. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "I am your servant," he said. 7"Don't be afraid," David said. "I will surely be kind to you because of your father Jonathan. I will give back to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. And you will always eat at my table." 8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "Who is your servant? Why should you care about a dead dog like me?" 9Then the king called Saul's servant Ziba. He said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10You and your sons and your servants must farm the land for him. Bring in the crops so that your master's grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will always eat at my table." Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. 11Ziba said to the king, "I am your servant. I 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. 12Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. Everyone who lived in Ziba's house became servants of Mephibosheth. 13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table. Both of his feet were crippled.