2 Samuel 9: David shows kindness to Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son
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What happens?
David asks whether anyone is still left of Saul's house, so that he can show him kindness for Jonathan's sake. Ziba, a servant of Saul's house, tells him that Jonathan has a son who is lame in both feet, living in the house of Machir at Lo Debar. David brings Mephibosheth to him, tells him not to be afraid, gives him back all of Saul's land, and has Ziba, his fifteen sons and his twenty servants work it for him. Mephibosheth lives in Jerusalem and always eats at the king's table, like one of the king's sons.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. David speaks in verses 1 to 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10; "the kindness of God" in verse 3 is David's own words. Ziba answers the king in verses 2 to 4 and 11, and Mephibosheth speaks in verses 6 and 8. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1David said, “Is there yet any who is left of Saul’s house, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
In plain English: David said, "Is there anyone still left of Saul's house, so that I may show him kindness (or: covenant loyalty) for Jonathan's sake?"
The Hebrew word: "Kindness" is chesed, which the dictionary gives as "kindness; by implication (towards God) piety". It is the word Jonathan used when he asked David to show him "the loving kindness of Yahweh" and never to "cut off your kindness from my house forever" ( and ). David uses it again in verse 3 ("the kindness of God") and verse 7.
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2There was of Saul’s house a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am your servant.”
In plain English: There was a servant of Saul's house named Ziba, and they called him to David. The king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" He said, "I am your servant."
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3The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.”
In plain English: The king said, "Is there no one still left of Saul's house, so that I may show him the kindness of God?" Ziba said to the king, "Jonathan still has a son, who is lame (literally: struck) in both feet."
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4The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”
In plain English: The king said to him, "Where is he?" Ziba said to the king, "Look, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar."
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5Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.
In plain English: So King David sent and had him brought from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.
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6Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth?” He answered, “Behold, your servant!”
In plain English: Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face and bowed down (this Bible: showed respect). David said, "Mephibosheth?" He answered, "Here is your servant!"
Good to know: Mephibosheth is the son of Jonathan who became lame when he was five years old: his nurse fled with him when the news of Saul and Jonathan came, and he fell (). and name the son of Jonathan "Merib-baal", who "became the father of Micah". The end of the name Mephibosheth is spelled like bosheth, which the dictionary gives as "shame ... by implication (specifically) an idol", where the other name ends with Baal. The text does not explain the two names, and readers explain them in different ways. In Gideon's other name, Jerubbaal, is written in the same way, as Jerubbesheth.
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7David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.”
In plain English: David said to him, "Do not be afraid, because I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give back to you all the land of Saul your father (that is, your grandfather), and you will always eat (literally: eat bread) at my table."
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8He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”
In plain English: He bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should look (literally: turn) to a dead dog like me?"
Good to know: David called himself "a dead dog" before Saul in , and Abishai uses the same words of Shimei in . Here Mephibosheth uses them of himself.
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9Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son.
In plain English: Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant (literally: young man), and said to him, "Everything that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's son.
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10Till the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants. Bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth your master’s son will always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
In plain English: You, your sons and your servants are to work the land for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master's son will have food (literally: bread) to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son will always eat at my table." Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
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11Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table like one of the king’s sons.
In plain English: Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do everything that my lord the king commands his servant." So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table (the Hebrew has: at my table) like one of the king's sons.
The Hebrew words: "At the king's table" is word for word "at my table". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "at the table of David".
What changes: Read the way this Bible has it, the narrator says Mephibosheth ate at the king's table. Read word for word, the words may be the king's, speaking again: "Mephibosheth will eat at my table." Either way, verse 13 says he always ate at the king's table.
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12Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.
In plain English: Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. Everyone who lived in Ziba's house was a servant to Mephibosheth.
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13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.
In plain English: So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table. He was lame in both feet.
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