CHAPTER 9
Then David
asked,
“Is there
anyone left
from the house
of Saul
to whom
I can show
kindness
for the sake
of Jonathan?”
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.
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.”
“Where
is he?”
replied
the king.
And Ziba
said,
“Indeed,
he is
in Lo-debar
at the house
of Machir
son
of Ammiel.”
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.
“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.”
Mephibosheth bowed down
and said,
“What
is your servant,
that
you should show regard
for
a dead
dog
like me?”
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.
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 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
sons.
And Mephibosheth had
a young
son
named
Mica,
and all
who dwelt
in the house
of Ziba
were servants
of Mephibosheth.
So Mephibosheth
lived
in Jerusalem,
because
he
always
ate
at
the king’s
table,
and he was lame
in both
feet.