2 Samuel 9:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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 Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant."

NIV: Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "At your service," he replied.

NASB: Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they summoned him to David; and the king said to him, 'Are you Ziba?' And he said, 'I am your servant.'

CSB: There was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "I am your servant," he replied.

NLT: He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. 'Are you Ziba?' the king asked. 'Yes sir, I am,' Ziba replied.

KJV: And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

NKJV: And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “ Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!”

Second Samuel 9:1–5 describes what happened when David hears that Jonathan has a living son. David asks Saul's former servant, Ziba, if any of Saul's male heirs are still living. Ziba doesn't mention the sons of Saul's concubine or his daughter (2 Samuel 21:8), but he does reveal that Jonathan's son Mephibosheth is still living, although he can't walk. David tells Mephibosheth he will dine at the royal table every day, and tells Ziba to farm Saul's land for his new master (2 Samuel 9:6–13).

In 2 Samuel 9, David keeps his promise to show kindness to Jonathan's children. Mephibosheth is Jonathan's only living son. David brings him to Jerusalem and gives him a place at the king's table as if he were David's own son. In addition, David gives full ownership of Saul's lands to Mephibosheth, telling Saul's servant Ziba that he and his sons now serve Saul's grandson as their new master. Ziba will later tell David Mephibosheth has betrayed him, but it's a lie: Ziba's attempt to keep the land for his own (2 Samuel 16:1–4; 19:24–30).

In 2 Samuel 9, David takes care of Jonathan's last son, as he promised (1 Samuel 20:14–17). David finds Jonathan's son Mephibosheth and invites him to Jerusalem. David gives Mephibosheth Saul's lands and tells Saul's former servant Ziba to farm the estate. In an attempt to keep the land for his own sons, Ziba will tell David that Mephibosheth betrayed him and is trying to regain the crown. When he can, Mephibosheth corrects the lie and rededicates himself to David (2 Samuel 16:1–4; 2 Samuel 19:24–30).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.