The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 David inquired, "Is there anyone still alive from the family of Sha'ul, to whom, for Y'honatan's sake, I can show kindness?"
1
And David said, Is there still anyone of Saul's family living, so that I may be a friend to him, because of Jonathan?
2 In Sha'ul's household there had been a servant named Tziva, and they summoned him to David. The king asked him, "Are you Tziva?" and he answered, "At your service."
2
Now there was of Saul's people a servant named Ziba, and they sent him to David; and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am.
3 The king said, "Is there anyone still alive from the family of Sha'ul, to whom I can show God's grace?"Tziva said to the king, "There is still Y'honatan's son with the lame legs."
3
And the king said, Is there anyone of Saul's family still living, to whom I may be a friend in God's name? And Ziba said, There is a son of Jonathan, whose feet are damaged.
4 The king said to him, "Where is he?" and Tziva answered, "He's there in the house of Makhir the son of 'Ammi'el, in Lo-D'var."
4
And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.
5 King David sent and took him from the house of Makhir the son of 'Ammi'el in Lo-D'var.
5
Then King David sent, and had him taken from Lo-debar, from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel.
6 M'fivoshet the son of Y'honatan, the son of Sha'ul, came to David, fell on his face and prostrated himself. David said, "M'fivoshet!" and he answered, "Here is your servant!"
6
And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, came to David, and falling down on his face, gave him honour. And David said, Mephibosheth. And answering he said, Your servant is here.
7 David said to him, "Don't be afraid, for I am determined to be kind to you for the sake of Y'honatan your father. I will restore to you all the land of Sha'ul your [grand]father, and you will always eat at my table."
7
And David said to him, Have no fear: for truly I will be good to you, because of your father Jonathan, and I will give back to you all the land which was Saul's; and you will have a place at my table at all times.
8 He prostrated himself and said, "What is your servant that makes you pay such attention to a dead dog like me?"
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 The king called to Tziva, Sha'ul's servant, and said to him, "I have given everything Sha'ul and his family owned to your master's [grand]son.
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 You are to work the land for him, you, your sons and your slaves. Harvest the crops, so that your master's [grand]son will have food to feed his family; but M'fivoshet your master's [grand]son will always eat at my table."Tziva had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.
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 Tziva said to the king, "Your servant will do everything my lord the king commands his servant, although M'fivoshet has been eating at my table as one of the king's descendants."
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 M'fivoshet had a young son whose name was Mikha. Everyone living in Tziva's house was a servant of M'fivoshet.
12
And Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. And all the people living in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.
13 But M'fivoshet lived in Yerushalayim; he always ate at the king's table, and he was lame in both legs.
13
So Mephibosheth went on living in Jerusalem; for he took all his meals at the king's table; and he had not the use of his feet.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.