Study Desk

Now it happened afterward that David ^(F1)defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took ^(F2)control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines.

^(C1)And he ^(F1)defeated ^(C2)Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and a full line to keep alive. And ^(C3)the Moabites became servants to David, ^(C4)bringing tribute.

Then David ^(F1)defeated ^(C1)Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as ^(C2)he went to restore his ^(F2)power at the Euphrates River.

And David captured from him ^(F1)1,700 horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers; and David ^(C1)hamstrung almost all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for a hundred chariots.

When ^(C1)the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David ^(F1)killed twenty-two thousand men among the Arameans.

Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus, and ^(C1)the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And ^(C2)the LORD helped David wherever he went.

David took the shields of gold which were ^(F1)carried by the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

And from ^(F1)Betah and ^(C1)Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a very large amount of bronze.

Now when Toi king of ^(C1)Hamath heard that David had ^(F1)defeated the whole army of Hadadezer,

Toi sent his son ^(F1)Joram to King David to ^(F2)greet him and bless him, because he had fought Hadadezer and ^(F3)defeated him; for Hadadezer ^(F4)had been at war with Toi. And ^(F5)Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold, and bronze.

King David also ^(C1)consecrated these gifts to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had consecrated from all the nations which he had subdued:

from ^(F1)Aram, ^(C1)Moab, ^(C2)the sons of Ammon, ^(C3)the Philistines, ^(C4)Amalek, and from the spoils of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

So ^(C1)David made a name for himself when he returned from ^(F1)killing eighteen thousand ^(F2)Arameans in ^(C2)the Valley of Salt.

He also put garrisons in Edom. In all Edom he put garrisons, and ^(C1)all the Edomites became servants to David. And ^(C2)the LORD helped David wherever he went.

So David reigned over all Israel; and David ^(F1)administered justice and righteousness for all his people.

^(C1)Joab the son of Zeruiah was commander over the army, and ^(C2)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was ^(C3)secretary.

^(C1)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were ^(C2)priests, and Seraiah was ^(C3)scribe.

^(C1)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada ^(F1)was over the ^(C2)Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were ^(F2)(C3)chief ministers.

Then David said, "Is there ^(F1)anyone still left of the house of Saul, ^(C1)so that I could show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they summoned him to David; and the king said to him, "Are you ^(C1)Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant."

Then the king said, "Is there no one remaining of the house of Saul to whom I could show the ^(C1)kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "^(C2)There is still a son of Jonathan, one who is disabled in both feet."

So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is ^(C1)in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar."

Then King David sent ^(F1)messengers who brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

^(C1)Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and ^(C2)fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, "Mephibosheth." And he said, "Here is your servant!"

Then David said to him, "Do not be afraid, for ^(C1)I will assuredly show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I ^(C2)will restore to you all the ^(F1)land of your ^(F2)grandfather Saul; and ^(C3)you yourself shall ^(F3)eat at my table regularly."

Again he prostrated himself, and said, "What is your servant, that you should be concerned about ^(C1)a dead dog like me?"

Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said to him, "^(C1)Everything that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's ^(F1)grandson.

"You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master's grandson will have food ^(F1)to eat; nevertheless ^(C1)Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, ^(C2)shall ^(F2)eat at my table regularly." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Then Ziba said to the king, "In accordance ^(C1)with everything that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do." So Mephibosheth ate at ^(F1)David's table as one of the king's sons.

Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because ^(C1)he ate at the king's table regularly. And ^(C2)he was disabled in his two feet.