2 Samuel 4:4
New International Version
(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)

New Living Translation
(Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)

English Standard Version
Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Berean Standard Bible
And Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

King James Bible
And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

New King James Version
Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

New American Standard Bible
Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was disabled in both feet. He was five years old when the news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up and fled. But it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and could no longer walk. And his name was Mephibosheth.

NASB 1995
Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

NASB 1977
Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Amplified Bible
Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the news [of the deaths] of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. And the boy’s nurse picked him up and fled; but it happened that while she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

Christian Standard Bible
Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nanny picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. The one who had nursed him picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

American Standard Version
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yonathan son of Shaul had a son and he was lame in his legs, and he was a son of five years when the news of Shaul and of Yonathan had come from Yizrael, and his Nurse took him and she fled, and as she ran to escape, he fell, and became lame, and his name was Maphibshath

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jonathan Saul's son had a son lame of his feet, five years old, and he was in the way when the news of Saul and Jonathan his son came from Jezrael, and his nurse took him up, and fled; and it came to pass as he hasted and retreated, that he fell, and was lamed. And his name was Memphibosthe.

Contemporary English Version
Saul's son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who had not been able to walk since he was five years old. It happened when someone from Jezreel told his nurse that Saul and Jonathan had died. She hurried off with the boy in her arms, but he fell and injured his legs.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jonathan the son of Saul bad a son that was lame of his feet: for he was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan from Jezrahel. And his nurse took him up and fled: and as she made haste to flee, he fell and became lame: and his name was Miphiboseth.

English Revised Version
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In addition, Saul's son Jonathan had a son who was crippled. When the boy was five years old, the news about [the death of] Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled [to Gittaim]. She was in a hurry when she left, and he fell [from her arms] and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)

Good News Translation
Another descendant of Saul was Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who was five years old when Saul and Jonathan were killed. When the news about their death came from the city of Jezreel, his nurse picked him up and fled; but she was in such a hurry that she dropped him, and he became crippled.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, Saul's son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. When he was five years old, news had arrived about Saul and Jonathan from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up to flee, but in her hurry to leave, he happened to fall and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled; and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Literal Standard Version
And to Jonathan son of Saul [is] a son—lame; he was a son of five years at the coming in of the rumor of [the death of] Saul and Jonathan, out of Jezreel, and his nurse lifts him up, and flees, and it comes to pass in her hastening to flee, that he falls, and becomes lame, and his name [is] Mephibosheth.

Majority Standard Bible
And Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

New American Bible
(Jonathan, son of Saul, had a son with crippled feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; his nurse took him and fled, but in their hasty flight, he fell and became lame. His name was Meribbaal.)

NET Bible
Now Saul's son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to get away, he fell and was injured. Mephibosheth was his name.

New Revised Standard Version
Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled; and, in her haste to flee, it happened that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

New Heart English Bible
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened as she was hurrying to get away that he fell and was injured. And his name was Mippibaal.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet: he was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

World English Bible
Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news came about Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse picked him up and fled. As she hurried to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

Young's Literal Translation
And to Jonathan son of Saul is a son -- lame; he was a son of five years at the coming in of the rumour of the death of Saul and Jonathan, out of Jezreel, and his nurse lifteth him up, and fleeth, and it cometh to pass in her hasting to flee, that he falleth, and becometh lame, and his name is Mephibosheth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Murder of Ish-bosheth
3because the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have lived there as foreigners to this day. 4And Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. 5Now Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while the king was taking his midday nap.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 31:1
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2 Samuel 9:3
So the king asked, "Is there anyone left of Saul's family to whom I can show the kindness of God?" Ziba answered, "There is still Jonathan's son, who is lame in both feet."

2 Samuel 9:6
And when Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown in reverence. Then David said, "Mephibosheth!" "I am your servant," he replied.

2 Samuel 21:7
Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.

1 Chronicles 8:34
The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.

1 Chronicles 9:40
The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, who was the father of Micah.


Treasury of Scripture

And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Jonathan

2 Samuel 9:3
And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

when the tidings

1 Samuel 29:1,11
Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel…

1 Samuel 31:1-10
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa…

Mephibosheth

1 Chronicles 8:34
And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah.

1 Chronicles 9:40
And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal: and Meribbaal begat Micah.

Meribbaal

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Feet Fell Five Fled Flee Haste Jezreel Jonathan Lame Mephibosheth News Nurse Saul Saul's Tidings
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Feet Fell Five Fled Flee Haste Jezreel Jonathan Lame Mephibosheth News Nurse Saul Saul's Tidings
2 Samuel 4
1. The Israelites being troubled at the death of Abner
2. Baanah and Rechab slay Ish-Bosheth, and bring his head to Hebron
9. David causes them to be slain, and Ish-Bosheth's head to be buried.














(4) A son that was lame.--The reason for the introduction here of this account of Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, is to show that, he being physically in capacitated for the throne, the house of Saul became practically extinct with the death of Ish-bosheth. There were other descendants, but either illegitimate or of the female line (2Samuel 21:8-9), and hence there was none other of his house to claim the throne.

Verse 4. - Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son. This is mentioned to show that Saul's lineage virtually became extinct on Ishbosheth's death. Mephibosheth, the heir, was a cripple, and physically incapable of reigning. Saul had, indeed, sons by a concubine, and grandchildren by his daughter Merab (2 Samuel 21:8). But throughout the history there is no hint that any of these were regarded as the representatives of Saul's house. (For the name Mephibosheth, see note on 2 Samuel 2:8.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And Jonathan
וְלִיהֽוֹנָתָן֙ (wə·lî·hō·w·nā·ṯān)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3083: Jonathan -- 'the LORD has given', the name of a number of Israelites

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Saul
שָׁא֔וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

had a son [who was]
בֵּ֖ן (bên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

lame in
נְכֵ֣ה (nə·ḵêh)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5223: Smitten, stricken

[his] feet.
רַגְלָ֑יִם (raḡ·lā·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

He was
הָיָ֡ה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

five
חָמֵ֣שׁ (ḥā·mêš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 2568: Five

years old
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

when the report
שְׁמֻעַת֩ (šə·mu·‘aṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8052: Something heard, an announcement

about Saul
שָׁא֨וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

and Jonathan
וִיהֽוֹנָתָ֜ן (wî·hō·w·nā·ṯān)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3083: Jonathan -- 'the LORD has given', the name of a number of Israelites

came
בְּבֹ֣א (bə·ḇō)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

from Jezreel.
מִֽיִּזְרְעֶ֗אל (mî·yiz·rə·‘el)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3157: Jezreel -- 'God sows', two Israelites, also two cities in Israel, also a valley in Northern Israel

His nurse
אֹֽמַנְתּוֹ֙ (’ō·man·tōw)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 539: To confirm, support

picked him up
וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֤הוּ (wat·tiś·śā·’ê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

and fled,
וַתָּנֹ֔ס (wat·tā·nōs)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

but as she was hurrying
בְּחָפְזָ֥הּ (bə·ḥā·p̄ə·zāh)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2648: To start up suddenly, to hasten away, to fear

to escape,
לָנ֛וּס (lā·nūs)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

he fell
וַיִּפֹּ֥ל (way·yip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

and became lame.
וַיִּפָּסֵ֖חַ (way·yip·pā·sê·aḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6452: To hop, skip over, to hesitate, to limp, to dance

His name
וּשְׁמ֥וֹ (ū·šə·mōw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8034: A name

was Mephibosheth.
מְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת׃ (mə·p̄î·ḇō·šeṯ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4648: Mephibosheth -- 'dispeller of shame'


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OT History: 2 Samuel 4:4 Now Jonathan Saul's son had a son (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 4:3
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