1En dag kom David til at tænke på, om der mon stadig var nogle tilbage af Sauls efterkommere, som han kunne vise godhed mod, sådan som han havde lovet Jonatan.2Der var en mand ved navn Ziba, der engang havde været en af Sauls betroede tjenere. Ham sendte David bud efter. „Er du Ziba?” spurgte han. „Ja,” svarede manden.3Kongen fortsatte: „Er der ikke nogen tilbage af Sauls efterkommere, som jeg kan vise godhed og derved indfri et løfte, jeg har givet for Guds ansigt?” „Jo, det er der,” svarede Ziba, „der er en søn af Jonatan, men han er lam i benene.”4„Hvor bor han?” spurgte kongen. „Han bor i Lodebar hos Makir, Ammiels søn.”5-6Så sendte kong David bud efter Mefiboshet, Jonatans søn, Sauls barnebarn. Mefiboshet frygtede det værste, og da han kom ind til David, bøjede han sig underdanigt for kongen.7Men David sagde beroligende: „Vær ikke bange! Jeg vil behandle dig godt på grund af din far Jonatan. Du skal få al Sauls ejendom tilbage og bo her i paladset!”8Da bøjede Mefiboshet sig endnu en gang for kongen og udbrød: „Skulle kongen virkelig vise en sådan godhed imod en død hund som mig?”9Kongen tilkaldte nu Sauls tjener, Ziba. „Jeg har givet din herres barnebarn familiens ejendom tilbage,” forklarede han.10-11„Det bliver din opgave at bestyre ejendommen og sørge for, at dine sønner og tjenere opdyrker jorden, så den giver udbytte og føde til hans familie. Men Mefiboshet skal fremover bo her i paladset.” Ziba, der havde 15 sønner og 20 tjenere, svarede: „Jeg skal sørge for at efterkomme kongens ønske.” Og fra da af spiste Mefiboshet regelmæssigt sammen med kong David, og han blev behandlet som Davids egne sønner.12Mefiboshet havde selv en lille søn, der hed Mika. Zibas husstand kom altså til at bestyre Mefiboshets ejendom,13mens Mefiboshet, der jo var lam i benene, flyttede til Jerusalem og tog ophold i kongens palads.
1And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (1.Sam 18,3; 1.Sam 20,14; 1.Sam 20,42)2Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” (2.Sam 16,1; 2.Sam 19,17; 2.Sam 19,29)3And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” (1.Sam 20,14; 2.Sam 4,4)4The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” (2.Sam 17,27)5Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.6And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” (2.Sam 16,4; 2.Sam 19,24; 2.Sam 19,30; 2.Sam 21,7; 1.Krøn 8,34; 1.Krøn 9,40)7And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” (2.Sam 9,1; 2.Sam 19,28; 1.Kong 2,7; 2.Kong 25,29)8And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” (1.Sam 24,14; 2.Sam 16,9)9Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson.10And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. (2.Sam 9,7; 2.Sam 19,17)11Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s[1] table, like one of the king’s sons. (2.Sam 9,7)12And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. (1.Krøn 8,34)13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet. (2.Sam 9,3; 2.Sam 9,7)