2 Kings

Chapter 9

David's kindness to Miphiboseth for the sake of his father Jonathan.

  1. 1

    And David said: Is there any one, think you, left of the house of Saul, that I may shew kindness to him for Jonathan's sake?

  2. 2

    Now there was of the house of Saul, a servant named Siba: and when the king had called him to him, he said to him: Art thou Siba? And he answered: I am Siba, thy servant.

  3. 3

    And the king said: Is there any one left of the house of Saul, that I may shew the mercy of God unto him? And Siba said to the king: There is a son of Jonathan left, who is lame of his feet.

  4. 4

    Where is he? said he. And Siba said to the king: Behold he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodabar.

  5. 5

    Then king David sent, and brought him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, of Lodabar.

  6. 6

    And when Miphiboseth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come to David, he fell on his face and worshipped. And David said: Miphiboseth? And he answered: Behold thy servant.

  7. 7

    And David said to him: Fear not, for I will surely shew thee mercy for Jonathan thy father's sake, and I will restore the lands of Saul, thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table always.

  8. 8

    He bowed down to him, and said: Who am I, thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?

  9. 9

    Then the king called Siba, the servant of Saul, and said to him: All that belonged to Saul, and all his house, I have given to thy master's son.

  10. 10

    Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him: and thou shalt bring in food for thy master's son, that he may be maintained: and Miphiboseth, the son of thy master, shall always eat bread at my table. And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

  11. 11

    And Siba said to the king: As thou, my lord the king, hast commanded thy servant, so will thy servant do: and Miphiboseth shall eat at my table, as one of the sons of the king.

  12. 12

    And Miphiboseth had a young son, whose name was Micha: and all the kindred of the house of Siba served Miphiboseth.

  13. 13

    But Miphiboseth dwelt in Jerusalem: because he ate always of the king's table: and he was lame of both feet.