2 Samuel 9:10

10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul's family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table." (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

2 Samuel 9:10 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 9:10

Thou therefore, thy sons, and thy servants
Which were many, and whose numbers are after given:

shall till the land for him;
manure it, plough it, sow it, and reap it:

and thou shall bring in [the fruits];
the corn, and oil, and wine, the land produces:

that thy master's son may have food to eat;
meaning either Micha, the son of Mephibosheth, since Mephibosheth seems to be distinguished from him, and opposed to him in the next clause: and who would stand in no need of food from any other quarter, being a guest at the king's table continually; or else Mephibosheth, who by this means would have a sufficiency for his son and servants, and in which Ziba's family and servants would have a share:

but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat always at my table;
wherefore the land was to be tilled not for him personally, but for his family, and for what uses he should think fit to put the produce of it to:

now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants:
who were enough to cultivate a considerable quantity of land.

2 Samuel 9:10 In-Context

8 Mephibosheth bowed again and said, "I am no better than a dead dog, sir! Why should you be so good to me?"

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said, "I am giving Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul's family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table." (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba answered, "I will do everything Your Majesty commands." So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table, just like one of the king's sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the members of Ziba's family became servants of Mephibosheth.