2 Samuel 9

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 David asked, 'Is there anyone belonging to Saul's family left, to whom I might show faithful love forJonathan's sake?'	1 And David said, “Do you think that there could be anyone left from the house of Saul, so that I might show mercy to him because of Jonathan?”
2 Now Saul's family had a servant whose name was Ziba. When he had been summoned to David, theking said, 'Are you Ziba?' 'At your service,' he replied.	2 Now there was, from the house of Saul, a servant named Ziba. And when the king had called him to himself, he said to him, “Are you not Ziba?” And he responded, “I am your servant.”
3 The king said, 'Is there no one left, belonging to Saul's family, for me to treat with God's own faithfullove?' Ziba said to the king, 'There is stil one of Jonathan's sons. He has crippled feet.'	3 And the king said, “Could there be anyone alive from the house of Saul, so that I may show the mercy of God to him?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is left alive a son of Jonathan, with disabled feet.”
4 The king asked 'Where is he?' Ziba replied, 'He is living in the household of Machir son of Ammiel, atLo-Debar.'	4 “Where is he?” he said. And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.”
5 So King David sent for him to be fetched from the house of Machir son of Ammiel at Lo-Debar.	5 Therefore, king David sent and brought him from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
6 On entering David's presence, Meribbaal son of Jonathan, son of Saul, fel on his face and prostratedhimself. David said, 'Meribbaal!' He replied, 'Here I am, at your service.'	6 And when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell upon his face, and he reverenced. And David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he responded, “Your servant is here.”
7 David then said, 'Do not be afraid; I wil indeed treat you with faithful love for your father Jonathan'ssake. I shal restore all your grandfather Saul's estates to you, and you will always eat at my table.'	7 And David said to him: “Do not be afraid. For I will certainly show mercy to you because of your father Jonathan. And I will restore to you all the fields of your father Saul. And you shall eat bread at my table always.”
8 Meribbaal prostrated himself and said, 'Who is your servant, for you to show favour to a dead dog likeme?'	8 And reverencing him, he said, “Who am I, your servant, that you should look with favor upon a dead dog like me?”
9 The king then summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said, 'Everything belonging to Saul and his family, Igive to your master's son.	9 And so, the king called Ziba, the servant of Saul, and he said to him: “Everything whatsoever that belonged to Saul, and his entire house, I have given to the son of your lord.
10 You must work the land for him, you and your sons and your slaves; you must harvest the produce toprovide food for your master's family to eat. But Meribbaal, your master's son, wil always take his own meals atmy table.' Now, Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.	10 And so, work the land for him, you and your sons and your servants. And you shall bring in food for the son of your lord, for nourishment. And Mephibosheth, the son of your lord, shall always eat bread at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Ziba said to the king, 'Your servant wil do everything my lord the king has ordered his servant.' SoMeribbaal ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.	11 And Ziba said to the king: “Just as my lord has ordered your servant, so will your servant do. And Mephibosheth shall eat at my table, like one of the sons of the king.”
12 Meribbaal had a young son whose name was Micha. Al the people living in Ziba's household enteredMeribbaal's service.	12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. Truly, all the kindred of the house of Ziba served Mephibosheth.
13 Meribbaal lived in Jerusalem, since he always ate at the king's table. He was crippled in both feet.	13 But Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem. For he was fed always from the table of the king. And he was lame in both feet.