1 And Dauid sayde, Is there yet any man left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him mercie for Ionathans sake? 2 And there was of the housholde of Saul a seruant whose name was Ziba, and when they had called him vnto Dauid, the King sayd vnto him, Art thou Ziba? And he sayd, I thy seruant am he. 3 Then the King sayd, Remayneth there yet none of the house of Saul, on whome I may shewe the mercie of God? Ziba then answered the King, Ionathan hath yet a sonne lame of his feete. 4 Then the King said vnto him, Where is he? And Ziba said vnto the King, Behold, he is in the house of Machir ye sonne of Ammiel of Lo-debar. 5 Then King Dauid sent, and tooke him out of the house of Machir the sonne of Ammiel of Lo-debar. 6 Nowe when Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Saul was come vnto Dauid, he fel on his face, and did reuerence. And Dauid sayde, Mephibosheth? And he answered, Beholde thy seruant. 7 Then Dauid sayd vnto him, Feare not: for I wil surely shewe thee kindnes for Ionathan thy fathers sake, and will restore thee all the fieldes of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eate bread at my table continually. 8 And he bowed himselfe and sayd, What is thy seruant, that thou shouldest looke vpon such a dead dog as I am? 9 Then the king called Ziba Sauls seruant, and said vnto him, I haue giue vnto thy masters sonne all that perteined to Saul and to all his house. 10 Thou therefore and thy sonnes and thy seruantes shall till the lande for him, and bring in that thy masters sonne may haue foode to eate. And Mephibosheth thy masters sonne shall eate bread alway at my table (nowe Ziba had fifteene sonnes, and twentie seruants) 11 Then sayd Ziba vnto the King, According to all that my lord the King hath commaded his seruant, so shall thy seruat do, that Mephibosheth may eate at my table, as one of the Kings sonnes. 12 Mephibosheth also had a yong sonne named Micha, and all that dwelled in the house of Ziba, were seruants vnto Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth dwelt in Ierusalem: for he did eate continually at the Kings table, and was lame on both his feete.
David and Mephibosheth
1 One day David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul's family? If there is, I would like to show him kindness for Jonathan's sake.”
2 There was a servant of Saul's family named Ziba, and he was told to go to David. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.
“At your service, sir,” he answered.
3 The king asked him, “Is there anyone left of Saul's family to whom I can show loyalty and kindness, as I promised God I would?”
Ziba answered, “There is still one of Jonathan's sons. He is crippled.”
4 “Where is he?” the king asked.
“At the home of Machir son of Ammiel in Lodebar,” Ziba answered. 5 So King David sent for him.
6 When Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, arrived, he bowed down before David in respect. David said, “Mephibosheth,” and he answered, “At your service, sir.”
7 “Don't be afraid,” David replied. “I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth bowed again and said, “I am no better than a dead dog, sir! Why should you be so good to me?”
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said, “I am giving Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul's family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Ziba answered, “I will do everything Your Majesty commands.”
So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table, just like one of the king's sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the members of Ziba's family became servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem, eating all his meals at the king's table.