Mephibosheth
Jonathan's Lame Son
También conocido como: Mephibosheth, Merib-Baal, Mephi-Boset, Mephibosheth
Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and grandson of King Saul. He became lame in both feet after a fall as a child when news of Saul’s and Jonathan’s death reached them. King David showed him kindness for Jonathan’s sake and let him eat at the king’s table for the rest of his life.
Familia
Hechos clave
The Fall as a Child
When Mephibosheth was five years old, his nurse fled with him after hearing the news of Saul and Jonathan’s death. She fell with the child in her arms, and he became lame in both feet.
4Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was crippled in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried away, he fell and was left lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
וְלִיהֽוֹנָתָן֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל בֵּ֖ן נְכֵ֣ה רַגְלָ֑יִם בֶּן־חָמֵ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֣ים הָיָ֡ה בְּבֹ֣א שְׁמֻעַת֩ שָׁא֨וּל וִיהֽוֹנָתָ֜ן מִֽיִּזְרְעֶ֗אל וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֤הוּ אֹֽמַנְתּוֹ֙ וַתָּנֹ֔ס וַיְהִ֞י בְּחָפְזָ֥הּ לָנ֛וּס וַיִּפֹּ֥ל וַיִּפָּסֵ֖חַ וּשְׁמ֥וֹ מְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת׃
David Seeks Out Saul's Descendants
David looked for someone from Saul’s household to show kindness to for Jonathan’s sake. His servant Ziba told him about Mephibosheth, who was living in Lo-debar.
1David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul, so that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד הֲכִ֣י יֶשׁ־ע֔וֹד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נוֹתַ֖ר לְבֵ֣ית שָׁא֑וּל וְאֶעֱשֶׂ֤ה עִמּוֹ֙ חֶ֔סֶד בַּעֲב֖וּר יְהוֹנָתָֽן׃
2Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba, and they summoned him to David. The king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "At your service," he answered.
וּלְבֵ֨ית שָׁא֥וּל עֶ֙בֶד֙ וּשְׁמ֣וֹ צִיבָ֔א וַיִּקְרְאוּ־ל֖וֹ אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אֵלָ֛יו הַאַתָּ֥ה צִיבָ֖א וַיֹּ֥אמֶר עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
3The king asked, "Is there no one at all left of Saul's house to whom I may show God's own kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הַאֶ֨פֶס ע֥וֹד אִישׁ֙ לְבֵ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל וְאֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה עִמּ֖וֹ חֶ֣סֶד אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ ע֛וֹד בֵּ֥ן לִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן נְכֵ֥ה רַגְלָֽיִם׃
4"Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar."
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֵיפֹ֣ה ה֑וּא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הִנֵּה־ה֗וּא בֵּ֛ית מָכִ֥יר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵ֖ל בְּל֥וֹ דְבָֽר׃
David shows kindness and gives him a place at the king's table
David called Mefibosjet to himself, returned all of Saul's land to him, and let him eat at the king's table as one of the king's own sons. Ziba and his household were assigned to work the land for him.
5So King David sent and had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּקָּחֵ֗הוּ מִבֵּ֛ית מָכִ֥יר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵ֖ל מִלּ֥וֹ דְבָֽר׃
6When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown and bowed low. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "I am your servant," he answered.
וַ֠יָּבֹא מְפִיבֹ֨שֶׁת בֶּן־יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן בֶּן־שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־פָּנָ֖יו וַיִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ מְפִיבֹ֔שֶׁת וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
7"Do not be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to Saul your grandfather, and you will always eat at my table."
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ ל֨וֹ דָוִ֜ד אַל־תִּירָ֗א כִּ֣י עָשֹׂה֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה עִמְּךָ֥ חֶ֙סֶד֙ בַּֽעֲבוּר֙ יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן אָבִ֔יךָ וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֣י לְךָ֔ אֶֽת־כָּל־שְׂדֵ֖ה שָׁא֣וּל אָבִ֑יךָ וְאַתָּ֗ה תֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֛חֶם עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִ֖י תָּמִֽיד׃
8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֕חוּ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י פָנִ֔יתָ אֶל־הַכֶּ֥לֶב הַמֵּ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֽוֹנִי׃
9Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's steward, and said to him, "I have given to your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his whole house.
וַיִּקְרָ֣א הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֶל־צִיבָ֛א נַ֥עַר שָׁא֖וּל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה לְשָׁאוּל֙ וּלְכָל־בֵּית֔וֹ נָתַ֖תִּי לְבֶן־אֲדֹנֶֽיךָ׃
10You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master's grandson may have food to eat. And Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
וְעָבַ֣דְתָּ לּ֣וֹ אֶֽת־הָאֲדָמָ֡ה אַתָּה֩ וּבָנֶ֨יךָ וַעֲבָדֶ֜יךָ וְהֵבֵ֗אתָ וְהָיָ֨ה לְבֶן־אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ לֶּ֙חֶם֙ וַאֲכָל֔וֹ וּמְפִיבֹ֙שֶׁת֙ בֶּן־אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ יֹאכַ֥ל תָּמִ֛יד לֶ֖חֶם עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִ֑י וּלְצִיבָ֗א חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר בָּנִ֖ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים עֲבָדִֽים׃
11Ziba said to the king, "Whatever my lord the king commands his servant, your servant will do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. [Footnote: Hebrew reads "my table"; the sense is the king's table.]
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶת־עַבְדּ֔וֹ כֵּ֖ן יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וּמְפִיבֹ֗שֶׁת אֹכֵל֙ עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִ֔י כְּאַחַ֖ד מִבְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
12Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth.
וְלִמְפִיבֹ֥שֶׁת בֵּן־קָטָ֖ן וּשְׁמ֣וֹ מִיכָ֑א וְכֹל֙ מוֹשַׁ֣ב בֵּית־צִיבָ֔א עֲבָדִ֖ים לִמְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת׃
13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, and he always ate at the king's table. He was lame in both feet.
וּמְפִיבֹ֗שֶׁת יֹשֵׁב֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם כִּ֣י עַל־שֻׁלְחַ֥ן הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ תָּמִ֖יד ה֣וּא אֹכֵ֑ל וְה֥וּא פִסֵּ֖חַ שְׁתֵּ֥י רַגְלָֽיו׃ פ
Ziba's betrayal during Absalom's rebellion
During Absalom's rebellion, Ziba met David with gifts and claimed that Mefibosjet had stayed behind in Jerusalem to regain Saul's throne. David then gave Ziba everything that belonged to Mefibosjet.
1When David had gone a little beyond the summit, there was Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, coming to meet him with a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
וְדָוִ֗ד עָבַ֤ר מְעַט֙ מֵֽהָרֹ֔אשׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה צִיבָ֛א נַ֥עַר מְפִי־בֹ֖שֶׁת לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וְצֶ֨מֶד חֲמֹרִ֜ים חֲבֻשִׁ֗ים וַעֲלֵיהֶם֩ מָאתַ֨יִם לֶ֜חֶם וּמֵאָ֧ה צִמּוּקִ֛ים וּמֵ֥אָה קַ֖יִץ וְנֵ֥בֶל יָֽיִן׃
2The king asked Ziba, "What are these for?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and the summer fruits are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those who grow faint in the wilderness to drink."
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־צִיבָ֖א מָה־אֵ֣לֶּה לָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר צִ֠יבָא הַחֲמוֹרִ֨ים לְבֵית־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לִרְכֹּ֗ב *ולהלחם **וְהַלֶּ֤חֶם וְהַקַּ֙יִץ֙ לֶאֱכ֣וֹל הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְהַיַּ֕יִן לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת הַיָּעֵ֖ף בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
3"And where is your master's son?" the king asked. Ziba said to the king, "He is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore my father's kingdom to me.'"
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאַיֵּ֖ה בֶּן־אֲדֹנֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר צִיבָ֜א אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הִנֵּה֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר הַיּ֗וֹם יָשִׁ֤יבוּ לִי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת מַמְלְכ֥וּת אָבִֽי׃
4Then the king said to Ziba, "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours." Ziba said, "I bow before you. May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king."
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְצִבָ֔א הִנֵּ֣ה לְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִמְפִי־בֹ֑שֶׁת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִי אֶמְצָא־חֵ֥ן בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
Mefibosjet's defense after David's return
When David returned to Jerusalem, Mefibosjet met him in mourning and explained that Ziba had deceived him. He had not cared for himself since the king left. David divided the property between Mefibosjet and Ziba.
24So the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die," and the king gave him his oath.
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־שִׁמְעִ֖י לֹ֣א תָמ֑וּת וַיִּשָּׁ֥בַֽע ל֖וֹ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס
25Mephibosheth son of Saul also came down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day the king came home safely.
וּמְפִבֹ֙שֶׁת֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל יָרַ֖ד לִקְרַ֣את הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְלֹא־עָשָׂ֨ה רַגְלָ֜יו וְלֹא־עָשָׂ֣ה שְׂפָמ֗וֹ וְאֶת־בְּגָדָיו֙ לֹ֣א כִבֵּ֔ס לְמִן־הַיּוֹם֙ לֶ֣כֶת הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַד־הַיּ֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א בְשָׁלֽוֹם׃
26When he came to meet the king in Jerusalem, the king asked him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?"
וַיְהִ֛י כִּי־בָ֥א יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לִקְרַ֣את הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָ֛מָּה לֹא־הָלַ֥כְתָּ עִמִּ֖י מְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת׃
27He answered, "My lord the king, my servant deceived me. Your servant said, 'I will saddle my donkey and ride it and go with the king'—for your servant is lame.
וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַבְדִּ֣י רִמָּ֑נִי כִּֽי־אָמַ֨ר עַבְדְּךָ֜ אֶחְבְּשָׁה־לִּי֩ הַחֲמ֨וֹר וְאֶרְכַּ֤ב עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ וְאֵלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֥י פִסֵּ֖חַ עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
28But he slandered your servant to my lord the king. Still, my lord the king is like an angel of God; do whatever seems good to you.
וַיְרַגֵּ֣ל בְּעַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַאדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ כְּמַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
29My father's whole house deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, yet you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further claim do I have, and what right to appeal to the king?"
כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הָיָ֜ה כָּל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֗י כִּ֤י אִם־אַנְשֵׁי־מָ֙וֶת֙ לַאדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַתָּ֙שֶׁת֙ אֶֽת־עַבְדְּךָ֔ בְּאֹכְלֵ֖י שֻׁלְחָנֶ֑ךָ וּמַה־יֶּשׁ־לִ֥י עוֹד֙ צְדָקָ֔ה וְלִזְעֹ֥ק ע֖וֹד אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ פ
30The king said to him, "Why go on talking? I have said it: you and Ziba shall divide the land."
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָ֛מָּה תְּדַבֵּ֥ר ע֖וֹד דְּבָרֶ֑יךָ אָמַ֕רְתִּי אַתָּ֣ה וְצִיבָ֔א תַּחְלְק֖וּ אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
Spared from the Gibeonites' revenge
When the Gibeonites demanded the surrender of Saul's descendants, David spared Mefibosjet because of the oath he had sworn to Jonathan.
7But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD that was between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
וַיַּחְמֹ֣ל הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַל־מְפִי־בֹ֖שֶׁת בֶּן־יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן בֶּן־שָׁא֑וּל עַל־שְׁבֻעַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בֵּֽינֹתָ֔ם בֵּ֣ין דָּוִ֔ד וּבֵ֖ין יְהוֹנָתָ֥ן בֶּן־שָׁאֽוּל׃