2 Samuel 9:10
You therefore, and your sons, and your servants, shall till the land for him, and you shall bring in the fruits, that your master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Treasury of Scripture

shall eat bread The eating at courts was of two kinds; the one public and ceremonies, the other private. Sir John Chardin understands those passages which speak of a right to eat at the royal table, appointing out a right to a seat there, when the repast was public and solemn. So in a MS. Note on

1 Kings 2:7 But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at your table...

, he tells us that it was to be understood of the {majilis}, (the term for an assembly of lords, or a {public} feast) and not of the daily and ordinary repast. Hence, though Mephibosheth was to eat at all public times at the king's table, yet he would want the produce of his lands for food at other times, which it was necessary for Ziba to understand.

2 Samuel 9:7,11-13 And David said to him, Fear not: for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake...

2 Samuel 19:28 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king...

2 Kings 25:29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

Luke 14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said to him...



Context
David and Mephibosheth

1And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? 2And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him to David, the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, Your servant is he. 3And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him? And Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet a son, which is lame on his feet. 4And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. 5Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. 6Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come to David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold your servant! 7And David said to him, Fear not: for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore you all the land of Saul your father; and you shall eat bread at my table continually. 8And he bowed himself, and said, What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am? 9Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, I have given to your master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. 10You therefore, and your sons, and your servants, shall till the land for him, and you shall bring in the fruits, that your master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11Then said Ziba to the king, According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so shall your servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons. 12And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelled in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. 13So Mephibosheth dwelled in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.
Parallel Verses
American Standard Version
And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in the fruits , that thy master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou therefore and thy sons and thy servants shall till the land for him: and thou shalt bring in food for thy master's son, that he may be maintained: and Miphiboseth the son of thy master shall always eat bread at my table. And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


Darby Bible Translation
And thou, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat. And Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread at my table continually. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


King James Bible
Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast served for him the land, thou and thy sons, and thy servants, and hast brought in, and there hath been to the son of thy lord bread, and he hath eaten it; and Mephibosheth son of thy lord doth eat continually bread at my table;' and Ziba hath fifteen sons and twenty servants.


2 Samuel 9:9
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