David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

1 Then David said, “Is there yet 1anyone left of the house of Saul, athat I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

2 Now 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 aZiba?” And he said, “I am your servant.”

3 The king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the akindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “bThere is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.”

4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is ain the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.”

5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

6 aMephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and bfell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he said, “Here is your servant!”

7 David said to him, “Do not fear, for aI will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and bwill restore to you all the 1land of your 2grandfather Saul; and cyou shall 3eat at my table regularly.”

8 Again he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard aa dead dog like me?”

9 Then the king called Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “aAll that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s 1grandson.

10 “You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s grandson may have food; nevertheless aMephibosheth your master’s grandson bshall 1eat at my table regularly.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According ato all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at 1David’s table as one of the king’s sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for ahe ate at the king’s table regularly. Now bhe was lame in both feet.

Chapter 10

Ammon and Aram Defeated

1 aNow it happened afterwards that bthe king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son became king in his place.

2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of aNahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent 1some of his servants to console him concerning his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites,

3 the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “1Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? aHas David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?”

4 So Hanun took David’s servants and ashaved off half of their beards, and bcut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away.

5 When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “1Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.”

6 Now when the sons of Ammon saw that athey had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and bhired the Arameans of cBeth-rehob and the dArameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of eMaacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men.

7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men.

8 The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array aat the entrance of the 1city, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of bTob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

9 Now when Joab saw that 1the battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans.

10 But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon.

11 He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you.

12 “aBe strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and bmay the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and athey fled before him.

14 When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. aThen Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been 1defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

16 aAnd Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the 1River, and they came to Helam; and bShobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer 2led them.

17 Now when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans arrayed themselves to meet David and fought against him.

18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed a700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there.

19 When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they were 1defeated by Israel, athey made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans feared to help the sons of Ammon anymore.