2 Samuel 9:1-10 ▼

1 David asked, |Is there anyone left in Saul's family to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?|

2 Now, Saul's family had a servant whose name was Ziba. He was summoned to [come to] David. |Are you Ziba?| the king asked him. |[Yes,] I am,| he answered.

3 David asked, |Is there someone left in Saul's family to whom I can show God's kindness?| |Jonathan has a son who is disabled,| Ziba answered.

4 |Where is he?| the king asked. Ziba replied, |He is at the home of Machir, Ammiel's son, in Lo Debar.|

5 So King David sent men to get him from the home of Ammiel's son Machir in Lo Debar.

6 When Mephibosheth (son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul) came to David, he quickly bowed down with his face touching the ground. |Mephibosheth!| David said to him. |Yes, sir,| he answered.

7 |Don't be afraid,| David told him, |I will certainly show you kindness for your father Jonathan's sake. I will give back to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.|

8 Mephibosheth bowed down [again] and answered, |Who am I that you would look at a dead dog like me?|

9 Then the king called for Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, |I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You, your sons, and your servants should farm the land for him and harvest [the crops] so that your master's family will have food to eat. However, your master's grandson Mephibosheth will always eat at my table.| (Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.)