1 David said, “Is there anyone still left of Saul's family so I can be kind to him for Jonathan's sake?”

2 There was a man called Ziba who used to be a servant of Saul's family. They called for him to come to David, and the king asked him, “Are you Ziba?”

“Yes, I am your servant,” he replied.

3 The king asked him, “Is there anyone still left of Saul's family so I can be kind to him as I promised before God?”*“I promised before God”: David is probably remembering the mutual promise shared with Jonathan. 1 Samuel 20:42.

“There's still one of Jonathan's sons, who is lame in both feet,” Ziba replied.

4 “Where is he?” asked the king.

“He's in the town of Lo-debar, living in the home of Machir, son of Ammiel,” Ziba replied.

5 So King David had him brought from Machir's home. 6 When Mephibosheth,†He is called Meribbaal in 1 Chronicles 8:34 and 1 Chronicles 9:40. The same issue arises here as given in the footnote to 2:8. son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David, he bowed facedown to the ground in respect. Then David said, “Welcome Mephibosheth.”

“I am your servant,” he replied.

7 “Do not be afraid,” said David, “for I will truly be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will return to you all the land owned by your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “Who am I, your servant, that you should pay any attention to a dead dog like me?”

9 Then the king called for Saul's servant Ziba and told him, “I have given to your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and workers are to farm the ground for him and bring in the produce, so that your master's grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will always eat at my table.” Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty workers.

11 Ziba replied to the king, “My lord the king, your servant will do everything that you have commanded.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the people who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 But Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table. He was lame in both feet.