2 Samuel 9:10

10 And you and your sons and your servants are to take care of the land for him, and get in the fruit of it, so that your master's son may have food: but Mephibosheth, your master's son, will have a place at my table at all times. 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 And he went down on his face before the king, and said, What is your servant, for you to take note of a dead dog such as I am?
9 Then the king sent for Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, All the property of Saul and of his family I have given to your master's son.
10 And you and your sons and your servants are to take care of the land for him, and get in the fruit of it, so that your master's son may have food: but Mephibosheth, your master's son, will have a place at my table at all times. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Then Ziba said to the king, Every order which you have given to your servant will be done. As for Mephibosheth, he had a place at David's table, like one of the king's sons.
12 And Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. And all the people living in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.
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