2 Samuel 9

David, calling to mind his promises made to Jonathan, causeth Mephiboseth, the son of the said Jonathan to besought for, and brought before him, ver.1, &c. Giveth him all Sauls estate, and appointeth Ziba to be Governour over the same, but ordereth Mephiboseth to sit at his table.7.

1. And David said, Is there yet any one, that is left of the house of Saul; that I may shew kindness to him, for Jonathans sake? [See above chap.1.26. & 1 Samuel 20.]

2. Now the house of Saul had a servant, [A Purveyor of the house; as Steward, Genesis 15:2, 3. Compare below v.10.] whose name was Ziba; [Heb. Tsiba] and they called him unto David: and the King said unto him; Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant. [i.e. I am Ziba, at thy service, or ready to do thee service.]

3. And the King said; Is there not yet any one of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God [See 1 Sam 20.14, 15, 16, 17.] unto him? Then said Ziba unto the King; There is yet a son of Jonathan, that is smitten on both feet. [as above chap.4.4. i.e. lame, cripple, as below v.13.]

4. And the King said unto him; Where is he? And Ziba said unto the King, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel at Lodebar. [Lying beyond Jordan, in the Land of Gilead, not far from Mahanaim: see below chap.17.27.]

5. Then King David sent forth; and he took him [i.e. Sent for him, caused him to be fetch] out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel from Lodebar.

6. Now when Mephiboseth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came in to David, he fell on his face, and bowed himself down; and David said, Mephiboseth! and he said, Behold, thy servant is (here.)

7. And David said unto him, Fear not, for I will surely slew kindness unto thee, [Heb. I will doing do, etc.] for Jonathan thy fathers sake, and I will restore [Foreasmuch as Isboseth, and others of Sauls house had warred against David, their estates therefore were forfeited to the King, who restoreth them now unto Mephiboseth] unto thee [and thy son, below v.9 & 12.] all the fields, [or, all the ground, land] of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. [i.e. daily eat and drink with me: board, or table with me: see above chap.3.35.]

8. Then he bowed himself, and said; What is thy servant, that thou hast looked about toward such a dead Dog, [A Proverb among the Jews, whereby a mans nothingness and contemptibleness is expressed: see 1 Sam.24.15. and below, chap.16.9. Compare above chap.3.on vers.8.] as I am?

9. Then the King called Ziba, Sauls servant, [i.e. Who had been Sauls servant] and said unto him; I have given unto thy Lords son, [viz. Mephiboseth; as some conceive, Micha (ver.12.) to live upon: but by this the Father was not excluded, or shut out; as ver.7.] all that Saul hath had, and all his house.

10. Therefore thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, and shalt bring in (the fruits,) that thy Lords son may have bread to eat; and Mephiboseth thy Lords son, shall eat bread at my table continually: now Ziba had fifteen sons, and twenty servants.

11. And Ziba said unto the King; According to all that my Lord the King commandeth his servants, so shall thy servant do: Also Mephiboseth should be eating at my table, as one of the Kings sons. [Intimating, that he himself also (if it had been the Kings pleasure0 would have entertained and feasted Mephiboseth at his own table, as well as if he had been Court. Others take them to be the Kings words, thus: but Mephiboseth (said the King) shall eat at my table, as one of the Kings sons.]

12. Now Mephiboseth had a little son, whose name was Micha; and all that dwelt in the house of Ziba, [Heb. all, the whole dwelling of the house of Ziba] were Mephiboseths servants.

13. Thus Mephiboseth dwelt at Jerusalem, because he did eat continually at the Kings tables: and he was cripple (or lame) on both his feet. [Or, although he, &c.]