David Cares for Mephibosheth

¹ Then David said, “Is there still anyone who is left for the house of Saul that I may show loyal love to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

² Now Saul’s household had a servant whose name was Ziba, so they summoned him to David, and the king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “⌞At your service⌟!”¹

1. Literally “Your servant”

³ Then the king said, “But is there still anyone of Saul’s household that I may show the loyal love of God with him?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in the feet.”

⁴ The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “⌞He is here⌟¹ in the house of Makir the son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

1. Literally “Look, he”

⁵ So King David sent and brought him from the house of Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar.

⁶ So Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David. And he fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, “Mephibosheth,” and he said, “⌞I am ready to serve you⌟.”¹

1. Literally “Here is your servant”

⁷ Then David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for ⌞I will certainly show⌟¹ loyal love to you for the sake of Jonathan your father, and I will restore to you all the lands of Saul your father. And you shall always eat food at my table.”

1. Literally “doing I will do” or “showing I will show”

⁸ Then he¹ did obeisance and said, “What is your servant that you have paid attention to the dead dog like me?”

1. Mephibosheth

⁹ David summoned Ziba the servant of Saul and said to him, “All that was Saul’s and all his household I have given to the son of your master.

¹⁰ You shall till the land for him, you and your sons and your servants; you shall bring in the produce and it shall be food for the son of your master that he may eat. But Mephibosheth the son of your master may always eat food at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.)

¹¹ Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my master the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth was eating at his table as one of the sons of the king.

¹² Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah, and all of the dwelling of the household of Ziba became servants for Mephibosheth.

¹³ And Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, because he was continually eating at the table of the king, even though he was lame in both of his feet.