2 Samuel 9 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

David asked, "Is there anyone still left from Saul's family that I can show loyal love to, for Jonathan's sake?"

Now there was a servant from Saul's household named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king asked him, "Are you Ziba?" He said, "At your service, my lord."

The king asked, "Is there no one left from Saul's family that I can show God's loyal love to?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan — he's crippled in both feet."

The king asked him, "Where is he?" Ziba told the king, "He's in the house of Makir son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar."

So King David sent for him and had him brought from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.

When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came before David, he fell facedown and bowed low. David said, "Mephibosheth." He replied, "Here I am — your servant."

David said to him, "Don't be afraid. I'm going to show you loyal love because of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."

Mephibosheth bowed again and said, "Who am I that you would even look at a dead dog like me?"

Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "Everything that belonged to Saul and his whole family — I'm giving it all to your master's grandson."

"You, your sons, and your workers will farm the land for him and bring in the harvest so that your master's grandson will be provided for. But Mephibosheth himself will always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty workers.

Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do everything my lord the king commands." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's own sons.

Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika. And everyone who lived in Ziba's household served Mephibosheth.

So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table. He was crippled in both feet.