²⁴Mephibosheth, ^rSaul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. ²⁵When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you come with me?”

²⁶“My lord the king,” he replied, “my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said: ‘I’ll saddle the donkey for myself ^sso that I may ride it and go with the king’—for your servant is lame. ^t²⁷Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king. ^uBut my lord the king is like the Angel of God, ^vso do whatever you think best. ^w²⁸For my grandfather’s entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. ^xSo what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king?”

²⁹The king said to him, “Why keep on speaking about these matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land.” ^y

³⁰Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all!”

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Footnotes

s19:26 , Syr, read said to him, ‘Saddle the donkey for me
w19:27 do what is good in your eyes

Cross references

r19:24 2Sm 9:6
t19:26 2Sm 4:4; 9:3
u19:27 2Sm 16:1–4
v19:27 2Sm 14:17, 20
x19:28 2Sm 9:1–13
y19:29 2Sm 9:9; 16:4