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David and Mephibosheth

^1 (a)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 (b)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^[a] 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.