2 Samuel 9:10

10 You, your sons, and your servants should farm the land for him and harvest [the crops] so that your master's family will have food to eat. However, your master's grandson Mephibosheth will always eat at my table." (Ziba had 15 sons and 20 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 down [again] and answered, "Who am I that you would look at a dead dog like me?"

9 Then the king called for Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You, your sons, and your servants should farm the land for him and harvest [the crops] so that your master's family will have food to eat. However, your master's grandson Mephibosheth will always eat at my table." (Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.)

11 Ziba responded, "I will do everything you've commanded, Your Majesty." From then on, Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. Everyone who lived at Ziba's home became Mephibosheth's servant.