2 Samuel 9 - 10

David's Kindness to Mephibosheth

1 And David said, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may i show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was j Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant." 3 And the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show k the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of l Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet." 4 The king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "He is in the house of m Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar." 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And n Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, "Mephibosheth!" And he answered, "Behold, I am your servant." 7 And David said to him, "Do not fear, i for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and o you shall eat at my table always." 8 And he paid homage and said, "What is your servant, that you should show regard for p a dead dog such as I?"

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson o shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had q fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do." So Mephibosheth o ate at David's 1 table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, r whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for o he ate always at the king's table. Now l he was lame in both his feet.

2 Samuel 10

David Defeats Ammon and Syria

1 s After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 And David said, "I will deal loyally 2 with Hanun the son of t Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me." So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the Ammonites. 3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?" 4 So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, u at their hips, and sent them away. 5 When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, "Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return."

6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of v Beth-rehob, and w the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of x Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of y Tob, 12,000 men. 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of z the mighty men. 8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and w the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and y the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

9 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 10 The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11 And he said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 a Be of good courage, and b let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and c may the Lord do what seems good to him." 13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond d the Euphrates. 3 They came to Helam, with e Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded f Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel g and became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:3
    Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.
    1 Samuel 20:14 - 15
    If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die.
    1 Samuel 20:42
    Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.'" And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
  2. Cross References
    2 Samuel 16:1 - 4
    When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
    2 Samuel 19:17
    And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king.
    2 Samuel 19:29
    And the king said to him, "Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 20:14
    If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die.
  4. Cross References
    2 Samuel 4:4
    Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
  5. Cross References
    2 Samuel 17:27
    When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.
  6. Cross References
    2 Samuel 16:4
    Then the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that b...
    2 Samuel 19:24 - 25
    And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to m...
    2 Samuel 19:30
    And Mephibosheth said to the king, "Oh, let him...
    2 Samuel 21:7
    But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Sa...
    1 Chronicles 8:34
    And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Mer...
    1 Chronicles 9:40
    And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, and Mer...
  7. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:1
    And David said, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?
  8. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:28
    For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?
    1 Kings 2:7
    But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother.
    2 Kings 25:29
    So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king's table.
  9. Cross References
    2 Samuel 16:9
    Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.
    1 Samuel 24:14
    After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!
  10. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:7
    And David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.
  11. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:17
    And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king.
  12. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:7
    And David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.
  13. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 8:34
    And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.
  14. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:7
    And David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.
  15. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:3
    And the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.
  16. Cross References
    2 Samuel 10:1 - 19
    After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
    1 Chronicles 19:1 - 19
    Now after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his place.
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 11:1
    Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.
  18. Cross References
    Isaiah 20:4
    So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt.
  19. Cross References
    Judges 18:28
    And there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob. Then they rebuilt the city and lived in it.
  20. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:3
    David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates.
    2 Samuel 8:5
    And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians.
  21. Cross References
    Joshua 13:11
    And Gilead, and the region of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah.
    Joshua 13:13
    Yet the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day.
  22. Cross References
    Judges 11:3
    Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, and worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him.
    Judges 11:5
    And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob.
  23. Cross References
    2 Samuel 23:8
    These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.
  24. Cross References
    2 Samuel 10:6
    When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men.
  25. Cross References
    2 Samuel 10:6
    When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men.
  26. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:6
    Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
  27. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:9
    Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.
    1 Corinthians 16:13
    Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
  28. Cross References
    1 Samuel 3:18
    So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.
  29. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:3
    David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates.
  30. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 19:16
    But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head.
  31. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 19:18
    And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 7,000 chariots and 40,000 foot soldiers, and put to death also Shophach the commander of their army.
  32. Cross References
    2 Samuel 8:6
    Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.