2 Samuel 9:10

10 "You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master's grandson may have food; nevertheless 1Mephibosheth your master's grandson 2shall eat at my table regularly." Now 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 Again he prostrated himself and said, "What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?"
9 Then the king called Saul's servant Ziba and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson.
10 "You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master's grandson may have food; nevertheless Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall eat at my table regularly." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

Cross References 2

  • 1. 2 Sam 9:7, 11, 13
  • 2. 2 Samuel 19:28; 1 Kings 2:7

Footnotes 1

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