2 Samuel 9:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar."

NIV: "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

NASB: So the king said to him, 'Where is he?' And Ziba said to the king, 'Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.'

CSB: The king asked him, "Where is he?" Ziba answered the king, "You’ll find him in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel."

NLT: Where is he?' the king asked. 'In Lo-debar,' Ziba told him, 'at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.'

KJV: And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

NKJV: So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”

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.

Accessed 12/15/2025 12:20:43 PM