2 Samuel 9:11

2Sa 9:11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, [said the king], he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.

Ver. 11. As for Mephibosheth, said the king.] These last words are not in the original: and some there are that make it Ziba’s speech; as if he had said, Do, O king, as thou thinkest fitting: howbeit Mephibosheth might have his meals with me, and should by me be royally entertained as a king’s son.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9:11 Both Ziba and Mephibosheth (9:6) used the phrase “I am your servant” when presenting themselves before King David. By referring to himself as David’s servant, Ziba showed that he was no longer loyal to Saul’s dynasty. The sincerity of both later came into question (16:1-4; 19:17-30).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That Mephibosheth may have all things at commandment, as becometh a king’s son.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 11. So shall thy servant do.] The promises of Ziba were fair and specious, but he was a traitor in his heart, as we shall see in the rebellion of Absalom, and David's indulgence to this man is a blot in his character; at this time however he suspected no evil; circumstances alone can develope the human character. The internal villain can be known only when circumstances occur which can call his propensities into action; till then he may be reputed an honest man.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

11. As for Mephibosheth, said the king] There is nothing to warrant the insertion of the words “said the king:” nor can the words be Ziba’s assertion that he would himself have entertained Mephibosheth royally. It remains to follow the LXX. in reading at David’s table for “at my table,” and to take the clause along with the next two verses as the narrator’s conclusion of the story, thus: “So Mephibosheth did eat at David’s table, as one of the king’s sons.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then said Ziba unto the king, according to all the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do,.... Till the land, and bring the fruits of it to Mephibosheth, for the support of his family; he promised very fair, had he been as faithful to his trust:

as for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons; which is repeated, for the confirmation of it, and to show that he should be treated with equal respect, and fare as the king's sons themselves did; though the clause "said the king" is not in the original text, and the words are thought by Abarbinel and others to be the words of Ziba continued; who promised to do what the king had ordered, though Mephibosheth had eaten at his table, as one of the king's sons, and needed not anything, and needed not to eat at the king's table; and if it was his pleasure, he would maintain him out of this estate like the son of a king; but the phrase "my table" seems to be too arrogant for Ziba to say, and rather fits the mouth of David the king.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Said the king - There is nothing in the Hebrew to warrant the insertion of these words. The words are: “So Mephibosheth ate at my table as one of the king’s sons.” Only it follows that the narrator is David himself.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

My table, if the king was pleased so to order. (Sanchez) --- It would seem that Siba did not properly understand the king. (Calmet) --- The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, read, perhaps more correctly u, "his," instead of i, "my table," in shulchani. "And Memphibosthai ate at David’s table, as one," &c. (Haydock) --- He did not merely eat of the king’s table, (ver. 13,) but at it, super mensam, as the Hebrew, Chaldean, and Septuagint express. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

These are the words, either, first, Of David; the words said he, or said the king, being supplied out of the former and following verses. Or, secondly, Of Ziba, being thus rendered and understood. Also Mephibosheth, if the king so please,

shall eat at my table, and shall be treated there according to his quality, as one of thy sons, as thou desirest; for the estate will suffice for that also.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he, etc. These words are difficult, because they make David say the same thing thrice. The text is probably corrupt, as it requires the insertion of some such phrase as the "said the king" of the Authorized Version to make it intelligible. Of the many emendations proposed, the most probable is that of the LXX and Syriac, which make this clause an observation of the historian pointing out the high honour done to Mephibosheth in placing him on an equality with David"s own sons. It would then run as follows: So Mephibosheth ate at the king"s table as one of the king"s sons.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ziba promised to obey the king's command. The last clause of this verse is a circumstantial clause in form, with which the writer passes over to the conclusion of his account. But the words שׁלחני על שׁלחן, "at my table," do not tally with this, as they require that the words should be taken as David's own. This is precluded, however, not only by the omission of any intimation that David spoke again after Ziba, and repeated what he had said once already, and that without any occasion whatever, but also by the form of the sentence, more especially the participle אכל. There is no other course left, therefore, than to regard שׁלחני (my table) as written by mistake for דּוד שׁלחן: "but Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons." The further notices in Sa2 9:12 and Sa2 9:13 follow this in a very simple manner. בּית מושׁב כּל, "all the dwelling," i.e., all the inhabitants of Ziba's house, namely his sons and servants, were servants of Mephibosheth, i.e., worked for him and cultivated his land, whilst he himself took up his abode at Jerusalem, to eat daily at the king's table, although he was lamed in both his feet.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Your servant will do all that my master the king commands his servant

Ziba refers to himself as "your servant" and refers to David as "my master." AT: "I, your servant will do all that you, my king, command me to do" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

Mika

This is the name of the son of Mephibosheth. (See: How to Translate Names)

All who lived in the house of Ziba

Here "house" represents Ziba's family. AT: "All of Ziba's family" (See: Metonymy)

he always ate at the king's table

Here "table" represents being together with David or in his presence. Eating with the king at his table was a great honor. AT: "he always ate with the king at his table" (See: Metonymy)

though he was lame in both his feet

"thouge both of his feet were damaged." Here "feet" represents the ability to walk. AT: "though he was unable to walk" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

servant

lord

king

command

life

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

So will your servant do. Mephivoshes will eat at my table. Tsivoh said, "So will your servant do." And Dovid responded, "Mephivoshes will eat at my table."

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.