2 Samuel 9:3-13

3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”

4 “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied.

7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”

9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s^[a] table like one of the king’s sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth.

13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.

2 Samuel 9:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 9

This chapter relates David's inquiry after the posterity of Saul, whether any were living and where they were, 2Sa 9:1-4; and on inquiry being informed of one, he sent for him, and kindly received him, 2Sa 9:5-8; and restored to him the land of his fathers, and appointed a person to till it for him, and bring him the fruits of it, and maintained him at his own table, 2Sa 9:9-13.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Chronicles 8:34; 1 Samuel 20:14
• 2. S Leviticus 21:18; 2 Samuel 4:4
• 3. 2 Samuel 17:27-29
• 4. S Genesis 37:7; 2 Samuel 16:4; 2 Samuel 19:24-30
• 5. S 1 Samuel 20:14-15
• 6. ver 1,3; ver 13; 2 Samuel 12:8; 2 Samuel 19:28; 2 Samuel 21:7; 1 Kings 2:7; 2 Kings 25:29; Jeremiah 52:33
• 7. S 2 Samuel 4:4
• 8. S 2 Samuel 3:8; 2 Samuel 16:9
• 9. 2 Samuel 16:3; ver 7,11,13; 2 Samuel 19:28
• 10. Job 36:7; Psalms 113:8
• 11. S 2 Samuel 4:4; 1 Chronicles 8:34

Footnotes

• [a] Septuagint; Hebrew "my"