2 Samuel 19:26

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.

27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

28 For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,
KJV
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
WEB
He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame.
ASV
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is lame.
DARBY
And he said, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, I will saddle me the ass, and ride thereon, and go with the king; for thy servant is lame.
BLB
And he answered, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said, ‘I will saddle for myself the donkey, that I may ride on it and go to the king, because your servant [is] lame.’
ÅB
Han svarte: Herre konge! Min tjener narret meg; for din tjener sa: Jeg vil ha mitt esel salt, så jeg kan ride på det og følge med kongen; for din tjener er lam.
OTB
Han svarte: "Min herre kongen, min tjener bedro meg. For din tjener sa: 'Jeg vil sale et esel for meg selv, slik at jeg kan ri på det og gå med kongen,' fordi din tjener er lam.
B1930
Han svarte: Herre konge! Min tjener narret mig; for din tjener sa: Jeg vil ha mitt asen salt, så jeg kan ride på det og følge med kongen; for din tjener er lam.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 2 Samuel 16:2–3

    And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 9:3

    And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 4:4

    And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

    Read in context