(KJV) 2 Samuel 91

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⥃David and Mephibosheth

[1] And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him2 kindness for Jonathan’s sake? [2] And [there was] of the house of Saul a servant3 whose name [was] Ziba4. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, [Art] thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant [is he]. [3] And the king said, [Is] there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God5 unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son6, [which is] lame on [his] feet. [4] And the king said unto him, Where [is] he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he [is] in the house of Machir7, the son of Ammiel, in Lo–debar8.

[5] [¶]Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo–debar. [6] Now when Mephibosheth9, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell10 on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

[7] [¶]And David said unto him, Fear not11: for I will12 surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread13 at my table continually. [8] And he bowed himself, and said, What [is] thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog14 as I [am]?

[9] Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given15 unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. [10] Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread16 alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. [11] Then said Ziba17 unto the king, According18 to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, [said the king], he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. [12] And Mephibosheth had a young son19, whose name [was] Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba [were] servants20 unto Mephibosheth. [13] So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat21 continually at the king’s table; and was lame22 on both his feet.

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  1. 2Sam 9:1, David by Ziba sends for Mephibosheth; 2Sam 9:7, For Jonathan’s sake he entertains him at his table, and restores him all that was Saul’s; 2Sam 9:9, He makes Ziba his farmer. ↩

  2. 2Sam 1:26; 1Sam 18:1-4, 1Sam 20:14-17, 1Sam 20:42, 1Sam 23:16-18; 1Kgs 2:7; Prov 27:10; Matt 10:42, Matt 25:40; Mark 9:41; John 19:26-27; Phlm 1:9-12; 1Pet 3:8 ↩

  3. Gen 15:2-3, Gen 24:2, Gen 39:6 ↩

  4. 2Sam 16:1-4, 2Sam 19:17, 2Sam 19:27-29 ↩

  5. That is, the highest degree of kindness; as the hail of God is very great hail; the mountains of God exceeding high mountains; besides which, this kindness was according to the covenant of God made between him and Jonathan. Deut 4:37, Deut 10:15; 1Sam 20:14-17; Matt 5:44-45; Luke 6:36; Titus 3:3-4 ↩

  6. 2Sam 4:4, 2Sam 19:26 ↩

  7. 2Sam 17:27-29 ↩

  8. This place appears to have been situated beyond Jordan; and was probably, as Reland supposes, the same as Debir or Lidbir, Josh 13:26. ↩

  9. 1Chr 8:34, 1Chr 9:40, called Merib–baal ↩

  10. Gen 18:2, Gen 33:3; 1Sam 20:41, 1Sam 25:23 ↩

  11. Gen 43:18, Gen 43:23, Gen 50:18-21; 1Sam 12:19-20, 1Sam 12:24; Isa 35:3-4; Mark 5:33-34; Luke 1:12-13, Luke 1:29-30 ↩

  12. 2Sam 9:1, 2Sam 9:3; Ruth 2:11-12; 2Tim 1:16-18 ↩

  13. 2Sam 9:11, 2Sam 19:28, 2Sam 19:33; 1Kgs 2:7; Ps 41:9; Jer 25:33-34; Matt 6:11; Luke 22:30; Rev 3:20 ↩

  14. 2Sam 3:8, 2Sam 16:9; 1Sam 24:14-15, 1Sam 26:20; Matt 15:26-27 ↩

  15. 2Sam 16:4, 2Sam 19:29; 1Sam 9:1; Isa 32:8 ↩

  16. The eating at courts was of two kinds; the one public and ceremonious, the other private. Sir John Chardin understands those passages which speak of a right to eat at the royal table, as pointing out a right to a seat there, when the repast was public and solemn. So in a manuscript Note on 1Kgs 2:7, he tells us that it was to be understood of the majilis, (the term for an assembly of lords, or a public feast), and not of the daily and ordinary repast. Hence, though Mephibosheth was to eat at all public times at the king's table, yet he would want the produce of his lands for food at other times, which it was necessary for Ziba to understand. 2Sam 9:7, 2Sam 9:11-13, 2Sam 19:28; 2Kgs 25:29; Luke 14:15 ↩

  17. 2Sam 19:17 ↩

  18. 2Sam 16:1-4, 2Sam 19:26 ↩

  19. 1Chr 8:8, 1Chr 8:34-40, 1Chr 9:40-44, Micah ↩

  20. Mic 7:5-6 ↩

  21. 2Sam 9:7, 2Sam 9:10-11 ↩

  22. 2Sam 9:3 ↩