[1] One day David began wondering if any of Saul's family was still living, for he wanted to be kind to them, as he had promised Prince Jonathan. [2] He heard about a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul's servants, and summoned him. "Are you Ziba?" the king asked. "Yes, sir, I am," he replied. [3] The king then asked him, "Is anyone left from Saul's family? If so, I want to fulfill a sacred vow by being kind to him." "Yes," Ziba replied, "Jonathan's lame son is still alive." [4] "Where is he?" the king asked. "In Lo-debar," Ziba told him. "At the home of Machir." [5] So King David sent for Mephibosheth-Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson. Mephibosheth arrived in great fear and greeted the king in deep humility, bowing low before him. [7] But David said, "Don't be afraid! I've asked you to come so that I can be kind to you because of my vow to your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you shall live here at the palace!" [8] Mephibosheth fell to the ground before the king. "Should the king show kindness to a dead dog like me?" he exclaimed. [9] Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba. "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family," he said. [10] "You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him, to produce food for his family; but he will live here with me." Ziba, who had fifteen sons and twenty servants, replied, "Sir, I will do all you have commanded." And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly with King David, as though he were one of his own sons. [12] Mephibosheth had a young son, Mica. All the household of Ziba became Mephibosheth's servants, [13] but Mephibosheth (who was lame in both feet) moved to Jerusalem to live at the palace.
