2 Samuel

9 And David said “Is there still left anyone of Saul’s family, whom I may befriend for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 And there was a slave of Saul’s family, named Siba; and they summoned him to David. And the king said to him “Are you Siba?” and he said “Your servant.” 3 And the king said “Is there no man left of Saul’s family, whom I may befriend in God’s name?” And Siba said to the king “There is still a crippled son of Jonathan’s.” 4 And the king said to him “Where is he?” And Siba said to the king “He is in Lo-Debar at the house of Makir the son of ʽAmmiel.” 5 And King David sent and took him out of the house of Makir the son of ʽAmmiel at Lo-Debar; 6 and Meribaal, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and threw himself down on his face and did him reverence; and David said “Meribaal!” and he said “Your servant is here.” 7 And David said to him “Do not be afraid: befriend you I will for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the fields of your father Saul; and you shall always eat bread at my table.” 8 And he did reverence, and said “What is your servant, that you have turned your mind to such a dead dog as I?” 9 And the king called for Siba Saul’s man, and said to him “Everything that belonged to Saul and to all his family I give to your master’s son; 10* and you shall work the land for him, you and your sons and your slaves, and bring in, so that your master’s son shall have bread to eat; but Meribaal your master’s son shall always eat bread at my table.” (And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.) 11 And Siba said to the king “Your servant will do in every respect as your majesty commands him.”

And Meribaal eats at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Meribaal has a little son named Mica; and all the inmates of Siba’s house are slaves of Meribaal. 13 And Meribaal lives in Jerusalem, because he always eats at the king’s table and he is lame in both feet.