1
2Sa 9:1-12.
英文原文
2Sa 9:1-12.
DAVID SENDS FOR MEPHIBOSHETH.
1-7. David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul--On inquiry, Saul's land steward was found, who gave information that there still survived Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan who was five years old at his father's death, and whom David, then wandering in exile, had never seen. His lameness
(2Sa 4:4)
had prevented him from taking any part in the public contests of the time. Besides, according to Oriental notions, the younger son of a crowned monarch has a preferable claim to the succession over the son of a mere heir-apparent; and hence his name was never heard of as the rival of his uncle Ish-bosheth. His insignificance had led to his being lost sight of, and it was only through Ziba that David learned of his existence, and the retired life he passed with one of the great families in trans-jordanic Canaan who remained attached to the fallen dynasty. Mephibosheth was invited to court, and a place at the royal table on public days was assigned him, as is still the custom with Eastern monarchs. Saul's family estate, which had fallen to David in right of his wife
(Nu 27:8),
or been forfeited to the crown by Ish-bosheth's rebellion
(2Sa 12:8),
was provided
(2Sa 9:11;
also
2Sa 19:28),
for enabling Mephibosheth to maintain an establishment suitable to his rank, and Ziba appointed steward to manage it, on the condition of receiving one-half of the produce in remuneration for his labor and expense, while the other moiety was to be paid as rent to the owner of the land
(2Sa 19:29).
10
无标题
10. 洗巴有十五个儿子，二十个仆人——提到他的儿子和家中奴仆，是要表明米非波设将获赐与「王的儿子」一样的排场。
英文原文
10. Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants--The mention of his sons and the slaves in his house was to show that Mephibosheth would be honored with an equipage "as one of the king's sons."
12
无标题
12. 米非波设有一个小儿子，名叫米迦——他是在米非波设迁居耶路撒冷之前还是之后出生的，无从查考。但借着米迦，那卓越的约拿单的名号和记忆得以存留（见
代上8:34、35；9:40、41）。
英文原文
12. Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micah--Whether born before or after his residence in Jerusalem, cannot be ascertained. But through him the name and memory of the excellent Jonathan was preserved (see
1Ch 8:34, 35; 9:40, 41).
2Sa 9:1-12.
大卫召见米非波设。
1-7. 大卫说，扫罗家还有剩下的人没有——经查访，找到了扫罗的田产管家，他报说约拿单的儿子米非波设尚存，他父亲死时他才五岁，而那时大卫正流亡在外，从未见过他。他的腿瘸
（撒下4:4）
使他无法参与当时公开的争斗。况且按东方的观念，受膏君王的幼子对继承权的优先主张，还在仅作王储之子以上；因此他的名字从未被提作他叔父伊施波设的对手。他的无足轻重使他被人遗忘，大卫只是借着洗巴才得知他的存在，以及他在约旦河外迦南地的一个仍忠于倾覆王室的大户人家中所过的隐居生活。米非波设被请入宫廷，在大宴之日获赐与王同席的席位，这也是东方君主至今沿行的习俗。扫罗的家族产业，或因大卫之妻的权利而归大卫
（民27:8），
或因伊施波设的叛乱而被王室没收
（撒下12:8），
如今都拨给
（撒下9:11；
又
撒下19:28）
米非波设，使他能维持与其身份相称的排场，并派洗巴作管家代为料理，条件是收取出产的一半作为其辛劳费用的报酬，另一半则作为地租交纳给地的主人
（撒下19:29）。