1 David said, “Is anyone still left from the house {beit: family line} of Saul, so that I may show him kindness {chesed: covenant loyalty} for Jonathan’s sake?”
2 There was a servant {eved: household official} in Saul’s household named Ziba {tsiba: administrative agent}. They called him before David, and the king asked, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “I am your servant.”
3 And the king said, “Is there anyone still remaining from Saul’s house, so that I may show him the kindness of God {Elohim, Faithful Covenant-Keeper}?” And Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son; he is lame in his feet {raglayim: physical limitation}.”
4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” Tsiba {tsiba: Saul’s steward} said to the king, “Look {hinneh: attention marker}, he is in the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
5 So King David sent and had him brought from the house {bayit: clan dwelling} of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar {lo debar: no pasture}.
6 Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David; he fell facedown and bowed down {yishtachu: deep homage}. David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he said, “Behold, your servant {eved: one who serves}.”
7 David said to him, “Fear not, for I will certainly show you kindness {chesed: loyal love} on account of Jonathan your father. I will restore to you all the fields of Saul your father, and you shall dine at my table {shulchan: place of fellowship} always.”
8 He bowed down and said, “What is your servant {avdecha: utter humility}, that you have taken notice of a dead dog {kelev: scorned animal} like me?”
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “Everything {kol: complete allotment} that belonged to Saul and to his household I have given to your master’s grandson {le-ven-adoneikha: family descendant}.”
10 You, your sons, and your servants shall till the land {avadta: agrarian service} for him and bring in the harvest so that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat; and Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, shall always eat bread at my table {shulchani: place of provision}, and Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 And Ziba said to the king, “As all that my lord the king commands his servant {avdekha: loyal subject}, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table {shulchan: seat of royal favor} like one of the king’s sons.
12 Mephibosheth {Mefiboshet: Jonathan’s surviving son} became the father of a young son whom he named Mikha. All those dwelling in Ziba’s household were servants {avadim: bound attendants} to Mephibosheth.
13 And Mephiboshet {Mephiboshet: Jonathan’s son restored} lived in Jerusalem, because he partook perpetually of the king’s table {shulchan: royal provision of hospitality}; and he was lame in both feet.