David and Mephibosheth 1 UDB One day, David asked some of his servants, "Is there anyone who is a descendant of Saul to whom I can act kindly?" He asked this because he had loved Jonathan. BSB BSB: Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”
2 UDB They told him that there was in Jerusalem a man named Ziba who had been a servant of Saul's family. So David sent messengers to summon Ziba. When he arrived, the king asked him, "Are you Ziba?" He replied, "Yes, your Majesty, I am." BSB BSB: And there was a servant of the house of Saul named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king inquired, “Are you Ziba?” “I am your servant,” he replied.
3 UDB The king asked him, "Is there anyone in Saul's family to whom I can act kindly, as I promised God that I would do?" Ziba replied, "Yes, there is one son of Jonathan who is still alive. His feet are crippled." BSB BSB: So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I can show the kindness of God?” Ziba answered, “There is still Jonathan’s son, who is lame in both feet.”
4 UDB The king asked him, "Where is he?" Ziba replied, "He is living in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, in the city of Lo Debar east of the Jordan River." BSB BSB: “Where is he?” replied the king. And Ziba said, “Indeed, he is in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel.”
5 UDB So King David sent messengers to bring Mephibosheth to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.
6 UDB When Mephibosheth came to David, he knelt down with his face on the ground to show respect. Then David said, "Mephibosheth!" He replied, "Yes, your Majesty, I am your servant." BSB BSB: And when Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown in reverence. Then David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied.
7 UDB David said to him, "Do not be afraid. I will be kind to you because Jonathan your father was my friend. I will give back to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. And I want you to always eat with me in my house." BSB BSB: “Do not be afraid,” said David, “for surely I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”
8 UDB Mephibosheth bowed in front of David again and said, "What value does your servant bring to the King? I am as worthless as a dead dog. I do not deserve that you act kindly toward me!" BSB BSB: Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
9 UDB Then the king summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said to him, "Saul was your master, and now I am giving to Mephibosheth everything that belonged to Saul and his family. BSB BSB: Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house.
10 UDB You and your fifteen sons and your twenty servants must plow the land for Mephibosheth's family and plant crops and harvest them so that they will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth will eat with me at my house." BSB BSB: You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 UDB Ziba replied to the king, "I am Ziba your servant. I will do all that my master the king commands me to do." So after that, Mephibosheth always ate at the king's table, as though he were one of the king's sons. BSB BSB: And Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do all that my lord the king has commanded.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s own sons.
12 UDB Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika. All of Ziba's family became servants of Mephibosheth. BSB BSB: And Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth.
13 UDB So Mephibosheth, who was still crippled in both of his feet, started to live in Jerusalem, and he always ate at the king's table. BSB BSB: So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both feet.
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