2 Samuel 9:1-8

International Standard Version

David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth

9 Later on, David asked, “Is there anyone left alive from Saul’s household to whom I can show gracious love in memory^[a] of Jonathan?”

² A household servant of Saul named Ziba was called to appear before David, and the king asked him, “Are you Ziba?”

“I am your servant,” Ziba replied.

³ At this the king asked, “Isn’t there still someone left from Saul’s household to whom I may show God’s gracious love?”

“There’s Jonathan’s son. He has maimed feet,” Ziba answered.

⁴ So David asked, “Where is he?”

Ziba responded, “He’s in Lo-debar at the home of Ammiel’s son Makir.”

⁵ At this, King David sent for him and brought him from the home of Ammiel’s son Makir in Lo-debar. ⁶ When Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and a grandson of Saul, approached David, he threw himself on his face out of respect.

“Mephibosheth!” David said as he greeted him.

“Hello! I am your servant,” he replied.

⁷ “Don’t be afraid,” David reassured him, “because I’m going to show gracious love to you in memory^[b] of your father Jonathan. I’m going to restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you’ll always have a place^[c] at my table!”

⁸ Mephibosheth^[d] bowed low again and asked, “Who am I, your servant, that you would pay attention to a dead dog like me?”