2
Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was
1Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant."
3
And the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show
2the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of
3Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet."
4
The king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "He is in the house of
4Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar."
5
Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.
6
And
5Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, "Mephibosheth!" And he answered, "Behold, I am your servant."
7
And David said to him, "Do not fear,
6for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and
7you shall eat at my table always."
8
And he paid homage and said, "What is your servant, that you should show regard for
8a dead dog such as I?"
9
Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson.
10
And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson
9shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had
10fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11
Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do." So Mephibosheth
11ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons.
12
And Mephibosheth had a young son,
12whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.
13
So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for
13he ate always at the king's table. Now
14he was lame in both his feet.