Dāvids parāda laipnību Mefībošetam
1 Dāvids teica: “Vai ir vēl kāds atlicis no Saula nama, kam es varētu izrādīt laipnību Jonatāna dēļ?” 2 Saula namā bija kalps, vārdā Ciba. Tas tika atsaukts pie Dāvida, un ķēniņš viņam vaicāja: “Tu esi Ciba?” Tas atbildēja: “Esmu tavs kalps!” 3 Ķēniņš prasīja: “Vai nav vēl kāds vīrs Saula namā, ka es tam varētu izrādīt Dieva žēlastību?” Ciba teica ķēniņam: “Ir vēl Jonatāna dēls, kam kroplas kājas.” 4 Ķēniņš viņam prasīja: “Kur viņš ir?” Ciba teica ķēniņam: “Redzi, viņš ir Māhīra, Ammiēla dēla, namā Lo-Dabarā.” 5 Un ķēniņš sūtīja pēc viņa, lai atvestu no Lo-Dabaras, no Māhīra, Ammiēla dēla, nama. 6 Kad Mefībošets, Saula dēla Jonatāna dēls, atnāca pie Dāvida, viņš krita uz sava vaiga un zemojās. Dāvids teica: “Mefībošet!” Un tas atbildēja: “Esmu tavs kalps!” 7 Dāvids viņam sacīja: “Nebīsties, jo es izrādīšu tev laipnību tava tēva Jonatāna dēļ. Es tev atdošu visus tava tēva Saula īpašumus, un turpmāk tu ēdīsi pie mana galda.” 8 Mefībošets zemojās un teica: “Kas gan ir tavs kalps, ka tu esi pievērsies tādam sprāgušam sunim kā es?”
9 Ķēniņš pasauca Saula puisi Cibu un teica: “Es esmu atdevis tava kunga dēlam visu, kas piederēja Saulam un viņa namam. 10 Tu, tavi dēli un tavi kalpi apstrādāsiet viņa zemi un ievāksiet ražu, lai tava kunga dēlam būtu iztika. Un tava kunga dēls Mefībošets turpmāk ēdīs pie mana galda.” Cibam bija piecpadsmit dēlu un divdesmit kalpu. 11 Un Ciba teica ķēniņam: “Mans kungs ķēniņ, tavs kalps darīs visu, ko tu tam pavēlēsi.” Un Mefībošets ēda pie ķēniņa galda kā viens no ķēniņa dēliem. 12 Mefībošetam bija mazs dēls, vārdā Miha. Visa Cibas nama saime bija Mefībošeta kalpi. 13 Mefībošets dzīvoja Jeruzālemē, un viņš vienmēr ēda pie ķēniņa galda. Mefībošetam bija klibas abas kājas.
David Is Kind to Mephibosheth
1 One day, David thought, “I wonder if any of Saul's family are still alive. If they are, I will be kind to them, because I made a promise to Jonathan.” 2 David called in Ziba, one of the servants of Saul's family. David said, “So you are Ziba.”
“Yes, Your Majesty, I am.”
3 David asked, “Are any of Saul's family still alive? If there are, I want to be kind to them.”
Ziba answered, “One of Jonathan's sons is still alive, but he can't walk.”
4 “Where is he?” David asked.
Ziba replied, “He lives in Lo-Debar with Machir the son of Ammiel.”
5-6 David sent some servants to bring Jonathan's son from Lo-Debar. His name was Mephibosheth, and he was the grandson of Saul. He came to David and knelt down.
David asked, “Are you Mephibosheth?”
“Yes, I am, Your Majesty.”
7 David said, “Don't be afraid. I'll be kind to you because Jonathan was your father. I'm going to give you back the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. Besides that, you will always eat with me at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I'm worth no more than a dead dog.”
9 David called in Ziba, Saul's chief servant, and told him, “Since Mephibosheth is Saul's grandson, I've given him back everything that belonged to your master Saul and his family. 10 You and your 15 sons and 20 servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will farm his land and bring in his crops, so that Saul's family and servants will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat with me at my table.”
11-13 Ziba replied, “Your Majesty, I will do exactly what you tell me to do.” So Ziba's family and servants worked for Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth was lame, but he lived in Jerusalem and ate at David's table, just like one of David's own sons. And he had a young son of his own, named Mica.
