1 And David H1732 said, H559 Is there yet H3426 any that is left H3498 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 that I may shew H6213 him kindness H2617 for Jonathan's H3083 sake?
2 And there was of the house H1004 of Saul H7586 a servant H5650 whose name H8034 was Ziba. H6717 And when they had called H7121 him unto David, H1732 the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Art thou Ziba? H6717 And he said, H559 Thy servant H5650 is he.
3 And the king H4428 said, H559 Is there not H657 yet any H376 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 that I may shew H6213 the kindness H2617 of God H430 unto him? And Ziba H6717 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Jonathan H3083 hath yet a son, H1121 which is lame H5223 on his feet. H7272
4 And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Where H375 is he? And Ziba H6717 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Behold, he is in the house H1004 of Machir, H4353 the son H1121 of Ammiel, H5988 in Lodebar. H3810
5 Then king H4428 David H1732 sent, H7971 and fetched H3947 him out of the house H1004 of Machir, H4353 the son H1121 of Ammiel, H5988 from Lodebar. H3810
6 Now when Mephibosheth, H4648 the son H1121 of Jonathan, H3083 the son H1121 of Saul, H7586 was come H935 unto David, H1732 he fell H5307 on his face, H6440 and did reverence. H7812 And David H1732 said, H559 Mephibosheth. H4648 And he answered, H559 Behold thy servant! H5650
7 And David H1732 said H559 unto him, Fear H3372 not: for I will surely H6213 shew H6213 thee kindness H2617 for Jonathan H3083 thy father's H1 sake, and will restore H7725 thee all the land H7704 of Saul H7586 thy father; H1 and thou shalt eat H398 bread H3899 at my table H7979 continually. H8548
8 And he bowed H7812 himself, and said, H559 What is thy servant, H5650 that thou shouldest look H6437 upon such a dead H4191 dog H3611 as I am?
9 Then the king H4428 called H7121 to Ziba, H6717 Saul's H7586 servant, H5288 and said H559 unto him, I have given H5414 unto thy master's H113 son H1121 all that pertained H1961 to Saul H7586 and to all his house. H1004
10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, H1121 and thy servants, H5650 shall till H5647 the land H127 for him, and thou shalt bring H935 in the fruits, that thy master's H113 son H1121 may have food H3899 to eat: H398 but Mephibosheth H4648 thy master's H113 son H1121 shall eat H398 bread H3899 alway H8548 at my table. H7979 Now Ziba H6717 had fifteen H2568 H6240 sons H1121 and twenty H6242 servants. H5650
11 Then said H559 Ziba H6717 unto the king, H4428 According to all that my lord H113 the king H4428 hath commanded H6680 his servant, H5650 so shall thy servant H5650 do. H6213 As for Mephibosheth, H4648 said the king, he shall eat H398 at my table, H7979 as one H259 of the king's H4428 sons. H1121
12 And Mephibosheth H4648 had a young H6996 son, H1121 whose name H8034 was Micha. H4316 And all that dwelt H4186 in the house H1004 of Ziba H6717 were servants H5650 unto Mephibosheth. H4648
13 So Mephibosheth H4648 dwelt H3427 in Jerusalem: H3389 for he did eat H398 continually H8548 at the king's H4428 table; H7979 and was lame H6455 on both H8147 his feet. H7272
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 9
Commentary on 2 Samuel 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
2Sa 9:1-12. David Sends for Mephibosheth.
1-7. David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul—On inquiry, Saul's land steward was found, who gave information that there still survived Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan who was five years old at his father's death, and whom David, then wandering in exile, had never seen. His lameness (2Sa 4:4) had prevented him from taking any part in the public contests of the time. Besides, according to Oriental notions, the younger son of a crowned monarch has a preferable claim to the succession over the son of a mere heir-apparent; and hence his name was never heard of as the rival of his uncle Ish-bosheth. His insignificance had led to his being lost sight of, and it was only through Ziba that David learned of his existence, and the retired life he passed with one of the great families in trans-jordanic Canaan who remained attached to the fallen dynasty. Mephibosheth was invited to court, and a place at the royal table on public days was assigned him, as is still the custom with Eastern monarchs. Saul's family estate, which had fallen to David in right of his wife (Nu 27:8), or been forfeited to the crown by Ish-bosheth's rebellion (2Sa 12:8), was provided (2Sa 9:11; also 2Sa 19:28), for enabling Mephibosheth to maintain an establishment suitable to his rank, and Ziba appointed steward to manage it, on the condition of receiving one-half of the produce in remuneration for his labor and expense, while the other moiety was to be paid as rent to the owner of the land (2Sa 19:29).
10. Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants—The mention of his sons and the slaves in his house was to show that Mephibosheth would be honored with an equipage "as one of the king's sons."
12. Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micah—Whether born before or after his residence in Jerusalem, cannot be ascertained. But through him the name and memory of the excellent Jonathan was preserved (see 1Ch 8:34, 35; 9:40, 41).