1David upon enquiry is informed by Ziba of Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan; 5whom he sendeth for, 7and kindly entertaineth at his table for Jonathan's sake: 9he restoreth him all the family possessions of Saul, and maketh Ziba his farmer.
1AND David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for 1Jonathan’s sake?
1 See 1 Samuel 20; 2 Sam. 1:26.
2And there was of the house of Saul a 2servant whose name was 3Ziba.a And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, 4Thy servant is he.
2 A purveyor of the house, as steward, Gen. 15:2, 3. Compare below, verse 10.
3 Hebr. Tsiba.
a 2 Sam. 16:1; 19:17.
4 That is, I am Ziba, at your service.
3And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the 5kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is 6lame onbhis feet.
5 See 1 Sam. 20:14, 15, 16, 17.
6 As 2 Sam. 4:4. Or, smitten on both his feet. Also below verse 13.
b 2 Sam. 4:4.
4And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in 7Ló-debar.
7 Situated beyond Jordan, in the land of Gilead, not far from Mahanaim. See 2 Sam. 17:27.
5¶Then king David sent, and 8fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
8 That is, sent for him.
6Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
7¶And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will 9surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will 10restore 11thee all 12the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat 13bread at my table continually.
9 Hebr. I will doing do, etc.
10 Forasmuch as Ishbosheth and others of Saul’s house had warred against David, their estates therefore were forfeited to the king, who restores them now unto Mephibosheth.
11 And your son, verses 9, 12.
12 Or, all the fields.
13 That is, daily eat and drink with me, be at table with me. See 2 Sam. 3:35.
8And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a 14dead dog as I am?
14 A proverb among the Jews, whereby a man’s nothingness and contemptibleness is expressed. See 1 Sam. 24:15; 2 Sam. 16:9. Compare 2 Sam. 3 on verse 8.
9¶Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s 15servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s 16son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.
15 That is, who had been Saul’s servant.
16 Namely, Mephibosheth; or, as some perceive, Micha (verse 12), to live from it, but by this the father was not excluded, or shut out, as verse 7.
10Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. 17As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
17 Intimating, that he himself also (if it had been the king’s pleasure) would have treated Mephibosheth so pleasantly at his own table, as if he had been at court. Others take them to be the king’s words, thus: but Mephibosheth, said the king, shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.
12And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all 18that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
18 Hebr. all or the entire dwelling of the house of Ziba.
13So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; 19and was lame on both his feet.
19 Or, although he, etc.