Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, May 10th, 2025
the Third Week after Easter
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

2 Samuel 9:10

You and your fifteen sons and twenty servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will farm his land and bring in his crops, so that Saul's family and servants will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat with me at my table."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Feasts;   Friendship;   Hospitality;   Kindness;   Mephibosheth;   Servant;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;   Liberality;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Mephibosheth;   Ziba;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Vengeance;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ziba;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Economic Life;   Manaen;   Samuel, Books of;   Ziba;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Samuel, Books of;   Slave, Slavery;   Ziba;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Mephibosheth ;   Ziba ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jonathan;   Mephibosheth;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Agriculture;   Zi'ba;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Alliance;   Master;   Mephibosheth;   Relationships, Family;   Samuel, Books of;   Ziba;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him, and you are to bring in the crops so your master’s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Hebrew Names Version
You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in [the fruits], that your master's son may have bread to eat: but Mefivoshet your master's son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Tziva had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
King James Version
Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Lexham English Bible
You shall till the land for him, you and your sons and your servants; you shall bring in the produce and it shall be food for the son of your master that he may eat. But Mephibosheth the son of your master may always eat food at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.)
English Standard Version
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 shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
New Century Version
You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land and harvest the crops. Then your family will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
New English Translation
You will cultivate the land for him—you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce and it will be food for your master's grandson to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will be a regular guest at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
Amplified Bible
"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 to eat; but Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
New American Standard Bible
"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 will have food to eat; nevertheless Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, shall eat at my table regularly." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou therefore and thy sonnes and thy seruantes shall till the lande for him, and bring in that thy masters sonne may haue foode to eate. And Mephibosheth thy masters sonne shall eate bread alway at my table (nowe Ziba had fifteene sonnes, and twentie seruants)
Legacy Standard Bible
And 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 and eat of it; nevertheless Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall eat at my table continually." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Complete Jewish Bible
You are to work the land for him, you, your sons and your slaves. Harvest the crops, so that your master's [grand]son will have food to feed his family; but M'fivoshet your master's [grand]son will always eat at my table." Tziva had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.
Darby Translation
And thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master's son may have food to eat. And Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread at my table continually. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Easy-to-Read Version
You will farm the land for Mephibosheth. Your sons and servants will do this for him. You will harvest the crops. Then your master's grandson will have plenty of food to eat, but Mephibosheth will always be allowed to eat at my table." Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.
George Lamsa Translation
You therefore and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him, and you shall bring in food for your masters son, that he may eat; but Mephibosheth your masters son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Good News Translation
You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul's family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table." (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
Literal Translation
And you shall till the land for him, you and your sons and your servants. And you shall bring in the fruits , so that your master's son may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master'sson shall eat bread continually at my table.And Ziba had fifteen sons, and twenty servants.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
haue I geuen to thy lordes sonne. Tyll his londe for him therfore, thou & thy children & seruauntes, & brynge it in, yt it maye be bred for yi lordes sonne, and yt he maye enioye it: but Mephiboseth yi lordes sonne shal eate bred daylie at my table. Siba had fyftene sonnes & twentye seruauntes.
American Standard Version
And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Bible in Basic English
And you and your sons and your servants are to take care of the land for him, and get in the fruit of it, so that your master's son may have food: but Mephibosheth, your master's son, will have a place at my table at all times. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thou therefore, and thy sonnes, and thy seruauntes, shall tyll the land for him, & bring in, that thy maisters sonne may haue foode to eate: But Miphiboseth thy maisters sonne shall eate bread alway vpon my table. For Ziba had fifteene sonnes, & twentie seruauntes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have bread to eat; but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread continually at my table.' Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
King James Version (1611)
Thou therefore and thy sonnes, and thy seruants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy masters sonne may haue food to eate: but Mephibosheth thy masters sonne shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteene sonnes, and twenty seruants.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him; and thou shalt bring in bread to the son of thy lord, and he shall eat bread: and Memphibosthe the son of thy lord shall eat bread continually at my table. Now Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
English Revised Version
And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master’s son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Berean Standard Bible
You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master's grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, is always to eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
therfor worche thou the lond to hym, thou, and thi sones, and thi seruauntis, and thou schalt brynge in meetis to the sone of thi lord, that he be fed; forsothe Myphibosech, sone of thi lord, schal ete euer breed on my bord. Sotheli fiftene sones and twenti seruauntis weren to Siba.
Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast served for him the land, thou and thy sons, and thy servants, and hast brought in, and there hath been to the son of thy lord bread, and he hath eaten it; and Mephibosheth son of thy lord doth eat continually bread at my table;' and Ziba hath fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Update Bible Version
And you shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your slaves; and you shall bring in [the fruits], that your master's house may have bread to eat: but Mephibaal your master's son shall always eat bread at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
World English Bible
You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in [the fruits], that your master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
New King James Version
You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
New Living Translation
You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master's household. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will eat here at my table." (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
New Life Bible
You and your sons and your servants will grow food on the land for him. You will bring in the food so your owner's grandson may eat. But Mephibosheth your owner's grandson will always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
New Revised Standard
You and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him, and shall bring in the produce, so that your master's grandson may have food to eat; but your master's grandson Mephibosheth shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
therefore shalt thou till for him the ground, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, and shalt bring in, so that thy lord's son may have bread to eat, but, Mephibosheth, thy lord's son, shall continually eat bread at my table. Now, Ziba, had fifteen sons, and twenty servants.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou therefore and the sons and thy servants shall till the land for him: and thou shalt bring in food for thy master’s son, that he may be maintained: and Miphiboseth the son of thy master shall always eat bread at my table. And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Revised Standard Version
And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him, and shall bring in the produce, that your master's son may have bread to eat; but Mephib'osheth your master's son shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"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 Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall eat at my table regularly." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Contextual Overview

9 David called in Ziba, Saul's chief servant, and told him, "Since Mephibosheth is Saul's grandson, I've given him back everything that belonged to your master Saul and his family. 10 You and your fifteen sons and twenty servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will farm his land and bring in his crops, so that Saul's family and servants will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat with me at my table." 11Ziba replied, "Your Majesty, I will do exactly what you tell me to do." So Ziba's family and servants worked for Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was lame, but he lived in Jerusalem and ate at David's table, just like one of David's own sons. And he had a young son of his own, named Mica.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

shall eat bread: The eating at courts was of two kinds; the one public and ceremonious, the other private. Sir John Chardin understands those passages which speak of a right to eat at the royal table, as pointing out a right to a seat there, when the repast was public and solemn. So in a manuscript Note on 1 Kings 2:7, he tells us that it was to be understood of the majilis, (the term for an assembly of lords, or a public feast), and not of the daily and ordinary repast. Hence, though Mephibosheth was to eat at all public times at the king's table, yet he would want the produce of his lands for food at other times, which it was necessary for Ziba to understand. 2 Samuel 9:7, 2 Samuel 9:11-13, 2 Samuel 19:28, 2 Kings 25:29, Luke 14:15

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 9:13 - he did eat 2 Samuel 16:3 - where is 2 Samuel 19:17 - Ziba 2 Samuel 21:7 - Mephibosheth 1 Chronicles 8:34 - Meribbaal Jeremiah 52:34 - there was Luke 22:30 - eat

Cross-References

Genesis 8:1
God did not forget about Noah and the animals with him in the boat. So God made a wind blow, and the water started going down.
Genesis 9:1
God said to Noah and his sons: I am giving you my blessing. Have a lot of children and grandchildren, so people will live everywhere on this earth.
Genesis 9:5
I created humans to be like me, and I will punish any animal or person that takes a human life. If an animal kills someone, that animal must die. And if a person takes the life of another, that person must be put to death.
Genesis 9:15
I will remember my promise to you and to all other living creatures. Never again will I let floodwaters destroy all life.
Genesis 9:16
When I see the rainbow in the sky, I will always remember the promise that I have made to every living creature.
Psalms 145:9
You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation.
Jonah 4:11
In that city of Nineveh there are more than a hundred twenty thousand people who cannot tell right from wrong, and many cattle are also there. Don't you think I should be concerned about that big city?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou therefore, thy sons, and thy servants,.... Which were many, and whose numbers are after given:

shall till the land for him; manure it, plough it, sow it, and reap it:

and thou shall bring in [the fruits]; the corn, and oil, and wine, the land produces:

that thy master's son may have food to eat; meaning either Micha, the son of Mephibosheth, since Mephibosheth seems to be distinguished from him, and opposed to him in the next clause: and who would stand in no need of food from any other quarter, being a guest at the king's table continually; or else Mephibosheth, who by this means would have a sufficiency for his son and servants, and in which Ziba's family and servants would have a share:

but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat always at my table; wherefore the land was to be tilled not for him personally, but for his family, and for what uses he should think fit to put the produce of it to:

now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants: who were enough to cultivate a considerable quantity of land.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Fifteen sons ... - See 2 Samuel 19:17, marginal reference.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 9:10. Thou therefore, and thy sons - shall till the land — It seems that Ziba and his family had the care of the whole estate, and cultivated it at their own expense, yielding the half of the produce to the family of Mephibosheth. Ziba was properly the hind, whose duty and interest it was to take proper care of the ground, for the better it was cultivated the more it produced; and his half would consequently be the greater.


 
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