1 David asked, ¡°Is there anyone left of the
house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?¡±
2 So they called a servant of Saul, named Ziba, and brought him to David who
asked, ¡°So you are Ziba?¡± He replied, ¡°I am your servant.¡±
3 Then the king asked him, ¡°Is there still someone of the house of Saul to
whom I can give God¡¯s favor?¡± Ziba answered the king, ¡°A son of Jona than
whose feet are crippled still lives.¡±
4 The king asked him, ¡°Where is he?¡± And Ziba replied, ¡°He is in the house
of Ma chir, son of Ammiel, at Lodebar.¡±
5 So King David sent for him and had him brought from the house of Machir,
son of Ammiel, at Lodebar.
6 When Mepibaal, son of Jonathan, son of Saul arrived, he fell on the ground
and paid homage to David who said, ¡°Mepibaal!¡± He replied, ¡°Your servant
listens.¡±
7 David then told him, ¡°Do not be afraid. I will do you a favor for the sake
of your father Jonathan and give you back all the land of Saul your father.
Besides, you shall always eat at my table.¡±
8 He bowed down and said, ¡°What is your servant that you should show concern
for a dead dog like myself?¡±
9 The king called Ziba, Saul¡¯s servant, and said to him, ¡°I have turned over
to your master¡¯s son everything that Saul and his family possessed.
10 You yourself, your sons and servants shall till the land for him and
carry in the harvest so that your master¡¯s family may have food, although
your master¡¯s son Mepibaal shall always eat at my table.¡± Ziba, who had
fifteen sons and twenty servants
11 said to the king, ¡°Your servant will do whatever my lord the king
commands. Yet Mepibaal ate at my table like a king¡¯s son.¡±
12 Mepibaal had a young son named Mica; and all who lived in Ziba¡¯s house
became Mepibaal¡¯s servants.
13 But Mepi baal lived in Jerusalem for he always ate at the king¡¯s table.
He was lame in both feet.