[1] And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake? [2] And of the house of Saul there was a servant whose name was Ziba. When they had called him to David, he said to him, Are you Ziba? He said, I, your servant, am he. [3] The king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the [unfailing, unsought, unlimited] mercy and kindness of God? Ziba replied, Jonathan has yet a son who is lame in his feet. [4] And the king said, Where is he? Ziba replied, He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. [5] Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel at Lo-debar. [6] And Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold your servant! [7] David said to him, Fear not, 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 [grandfather], and you shall eat at my table always. [8] And [the cripple] bowed himself and said, What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I am? [9] Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, I have given your master's son [grandson] all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. [10] And you shall till the land for him, you, your sons, and your servants, and you shall bring in the produce, that your master's heir may have food to eat; but Mephibosheth, your master's son [grandson], shall eat always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. [11] Then Ziba said to the king, Your servant will do according to all my lord the king commands. So Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons. [12] Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in Ziba's house were servants to Mephibosheth. [13] So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table, [even though] he was lame in both feet.
