David and Mephibosheth

¹One day David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul's family? If there is, I would like to show him kindness for Jonathan's sake.”

²There was a servant of Saul's family named Ziba, and he was told to go to David. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked. “At your service, sir,” he answered.

³The king asked him, “Is there anyone left of Saul's family to whom I can show loyalty and kindness, as I promised God I would?” Ziba answered, “There is still one of Jonathan's sons. He is crippled.”

⁴“Where is he?” the king asked. “At the home of Machir son of Ammiel in Lodebar,” Ziba answered.

⁵So King David sent for him.

⁶When Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, arrived, he bowed down before David in respect. David said, “Mephibosheth,” and he answered, “At your service, sir.”

⁷“Don't be afraid,” David replied. “I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table.”

⁸Mephibosheth bowed again and said, “I am no better than a dead dog, sir! Why should you be so good to me?”

⁹Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said, “I am giving Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

¹⁰You, 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.)

¹¹Ziba answered, “I will do everything Your Majesty commands.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table, just like one of the king's sons.

¹²Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the members of Ziba's family became servants of Mephibosheth.

¹³So Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem, eating all his meals at the king's table.

David's Early Followers from the Tribe of Benjamin

¹David was living in Ziklag, where he had gone to escape from King Saul. There he was joined by many experienced, reliable soldiers,

²members of the tribe of Benjamin, to which Saul belonged. They could shoot arrows and sling stones either right-handed or left-handed.

^3-7They were under the command of Ahiezer and Joash, sons of Shemaah, from Gibeah. These were the soldiers: Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth Beracah and Jehu from Anathoth Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a famous soldier and one of the leaders of “The Thirty” Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johannan, and Jozabad, from Gederah Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah, from Hariph Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, of the clan of Korah Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham, from Gedor

David's Followers from the Tribe of Gad

⁸These are the names of the famous, experienced soldiers from the tribe of Gad who joined David's troops when he was at the desert fort. They were experts with shields and spears, as fierce looking as lions and as quick as mountain deer.

^9-13They were ranked in the following order: Ezer, Obadiah, Eliab, Mishmannah, Jeremiah, Attai, Eliel, Johanan, Elzabad, Jeremiah, and Machbannai.

¹⁴Some of these men from the tribe of Gad were senior officers in command of a thousand men, and others were junior officers in command of a hundred.

¹⁵In the first month of one year, the time when the Jordan River overflowed its banks, they crossed the river, scattering the people who lived in the valleys both east and west of the river.

Followers from Benjamin and Judah

¹⁶Once a group of men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah went out to the fort where David was.

¹⁷David went to meet them and said, “If you are coming as friends to help me, you are welcome here. Join us! But if you intend to betray me to my enemies, even though I have not tried to hurt you, the God of our ancestors will know it and punish you.”

¹⁸God's spirit took control of one of them, Amasai, who later became the commander of “The Thirty,” and he called out, “David son of Jesse, we are yours! Success to you and those who help you! God is on your side.” David welcomed them and made them officers in his army.

Followers from Manasseh

¹⁹Some soldiers from the tribe of Manasseh went over to David's side when he was marching out with the Philistines to fight King Saul. Actually he did not help the Philistines, for their kings were afraid that he would betray them to his former master Saul, so they sent him back to Ziklag.

²⁰These are the soldiers from Manasseh who went over to David's side when he was returning: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. In Manasseh they had all commanded units of a thousand men.

²¹They served David as officers over his troops, because they were all outstanding soldiers. Later they were officers in the Israelite army.

²²Almost every day new men joined David's forces, so that his army was soon enormous.

List of David's Forces

^23-37When David was at Hebron, many trained soldiers joined his army to help make him king in place of Saul, as the Lord had promised. Their numbers were as follows: Judah: 6,800 well-equipped men, armed with shields and spears; Simeon: 7,100 well-trained men; Levi: 4,600 men; Followers of Jehoiada, descendant of Aaron: 3,700 men; Relatives of Zadok, an able young fighter: 22 leading men; Benjamin (Saul's own tribe): 3,000 men (most of the people of Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul); Ephraim: 20,800 men famous in their own clans; West Manasseh: 18,000 men chosen to go and make David king; Issachar: 200 leaders, together with the men under their command (these leaders knew what Israel should do and the best time to do it); Zebulun: 50,000 loyal and reliable men ready to fight, trained to use all kinds of weapons; Naphtali: 1,000 leaders, together with 37,000 men armed with shields and spears; Dan: 28,600 trained men; Asher: 40,000 men ready for battle; Tribes east of the Jordan—Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh: 120,000 men trained to use all kinds of weapons.

³⁸All these soldiers, ready for battle, went to Hebron, determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the people of Israel were united in the same purpose.

³⁹They spent three days there with David, feasting on the food and drink which their relatives had prepared for them.

⁴⁰From as far away as the northern tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, people came bringing donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded with food—flour, figs, raisins, wine, and olive oil. They also brought cattle and sheep to kill and eat. All this was an expression of the joy that was felt throughout the whole country.

A Prayer for Help

¹O Lord, my defender, I call to you. Listen to my cry! If you do not answer me, I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.

²Hear me when I cry to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your holy Temple.

³Do not condemn me with the wicked, with those who do evil— those whose words are friendly, but who have hatred in their hearts.

⁴Punish them for what they have done, for the evil they have committed. Punish them for all their deeds; give them what they deserve!

⁵They take no notice of what the Lord has done or of what he has made; so he will punish them and destroy them forever.

⁶Give praise to the Lord; he has heard my cry for help.

⁷The Lord protects and defends me; I trust in him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise him with joyful songs.

⁸The Lord protects his people; he defends and saves his chosen king.

⁹Save your people, Lord, and bless those who are yours. Be their shepherd, and take care of them forever.