2 Samuel 9

1David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

2Now there was a servant of the house of Saul named Ziba, and they summoned him to David. The king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He answered, “Your servant.”

3The king asked, “Is there no one left of the house of Saul to whom I can show the kindness of God?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet.”

4The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “He is at the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.”

5So King David sent for him and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.

6When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, he fell on his face and bowed down. David said, “Mephibosheth!” He answered, “Here is your servant.”

7David said to him, “Do not be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give back to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

8He bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should look with favor on a dead dog like me?”

9Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and to his whole household.

10You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything my lord the king commands his servant.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.

12Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. And everyone who lived in Ziba’s household became Mephibosheth’s servants.

13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table. He was lame in both feet.