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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
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II - Chapter 9

Translation and Transliteration of 

1David inquired, “Is there anyone still left of the House of Shaul with whom I can keep faith for the sake of Yehonatan?”

vai-YO-mer da-VID ha-KHEE YESH-OD a-SHER no-TAR l'-VEYT sha-UL v'-e-e-SEH i-MO khe-SED ba-a-VUR ye-ho-NA-tan

אוַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד הֲכִ֣י יֶשׁ־ע֔וֹד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נוֹתַ֖ר לְבֵ֣ית שָׁא֑וּל וְאֶעֱשֶׂ֤ה עִמּוֹ֙ חֶ֔סֶד בַּעֲב֖וּר יְהוֹנָתָֽן׃

2There was a servant of the House of Shaul named Ziba, and they summoned him to David. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked him. “Yes, sir,” he replied.

u-l'-VEIT sha-UL e-VED u-sh'-MO tzi-VA va-yik-RE-u-LO el da-VID va-YO-mer ha-ME-lekh e-LAV ha-a-TAH tzi-VA va-YO-mer av-DE-kha

בוּלְבֵ֨ית שָׁא֥וּל עֶ֙בֶד֙ וּשְׁמ֣וֹ צִיבָ֔א וַיִּקְרְאוּ־ל֖וֹ אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ אֵלָ֛יו הַאַתָּ֥ה צִיבָ֖א וַיֹּ֥אמֶר עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃

3The king continued, “Is there anyone at all left of the House of Shaul with whom I can keep faith as pledged before Hashem?” Ziba answered the king, “Yes, there is still a son of Yehonatan whose feet are crippled.”

vai-YO-mer ha-ME-lekh ha-E-fes OD eesh l'-VEYT sha-OOl v'-e-e-SEH i-MO khe-SED e-lo-HEEM, vai-YO-mer TZI-va el ha-ME-lekh, OD BAYN lee-ho-NA-tan ne-KHEH rag-la-YIM.

גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הַאֶ֨פֶס ע֥וֹד אִישׁ֙ לְבֵ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל וְאֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה עִמּ֖וֹ חֶ֣סֶד אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ ע֛וֹד בֵּ֥ן לִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן נְכֵ֥ה רַגְלָֽיִם׃

4“Where is he?” the king asked, and Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.”

vai-YO-mer LO ha-ME-lekh, EY-fo HU? vai-YO-mer TZI-va el ha-ME-lekh, hi-NEH HU, BEIT ma-KHEER ben a-mi-YA-EL, BE-lo d'-VAR

דוַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֵיפֹ֣ה ה֑וּא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הִנֵּה־ה֗וּא בֵּ֛ית מָכִ֥יר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵ֖ל בְּל֥וֹ דְבָֽר׃

5King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar;

vai-YISH-lakh ha-ME-lekh da-VID va-yi-ka-KHE-hu mi-BAYT ma-KHEER ben a-mi-YA-el mi-LO de-VAR

הוַיִּשְׁלַ֖ח הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּקָּחֵ֗הוּ מִבֵּ֛ית מָכִ֥יר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵ֖ל מִלּ֥וֹ דְבָֽר׃

6and when Mefiboshet son of Yehonatan son of Shaul came to David, he flung himself on his face and prostrated himself. David said, “Mefiboshet!” and he replied, “At your service, sir.”

vai-YA-vo m'-fi-VOSH-et ben y'-ho-NA-tan ben sha-UL el da-VID, va-YI-pol al pa-NAV va-YISH-ta-KHU, va-YO-mer da-VID, m'-fi-VOSH-et, va-YO-mer hi-NEH av-DE-kha.

ווַ֠יָּבֹ֠א מְפִיבֹ֨שֶׁת בֶּן־יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן בֶּן־שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־פָּנָ֖יו וַיִּשְׁתָּ֑חוּ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ מְפִיבֹ֔שֶׁת וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃

7David said to him, “Don't be afraid, for I will keep faith with you for the sake of your father Yehonatan. I will give you back all the land of your grandfather Shaul; moreover, you shall always eat at my table.”

vai-YO-mer LO da-VID al-ti-RA KEE a-SO e-a-SEH i-m'-KHA khe-SED ba-a-VUR ye-ho-NA-tan a-VEE-kha va-ha-shi-vo-TEE L'-KHA et-KOL s'-DEH sha-UL a-VEE-kha v'-a-TAH to-KHAL LE-khem al-shul-KHA-nee ta-MEED

זוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ל֨וֹ דָוִ֜ד אַל־תִּירָ֗א כִּ֣י עָשֹׂה֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה עִמְּךָ֥ חֶ֙סֶד֙ בַּֽעֲבוּר֙ יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן אָבִ֔יךָ וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֣י לְךָ֔ אֶֽת־כׇּל־שְׂדֵ֖ה שָׁא֣וּל אָבִ֑יךָ וְאַתָּ֗ה תֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֛חֶם עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִ֖י תָּמִֽיד׃

8[Mefiboshet] prostrated himself again, and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”

vai-YIS-ta-KHU va-YO-mer MEH av-DE-kha, KI fa-NEE-ta el ha-KE-lev ha-MAYT a-SHER ka-MO-NEE

חוַיִּשְׁתַּ֕חוּ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י פָנִ֔יתָ אֶל־הַכֶּ֥לֶב הַמֵּ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֽוֹנִי׃

9The king summoned Ziba, Shaul's steward, and said to him, “I give to your master's grandson everything that belonged to Shaul and to his entire family.

vai-YIK-ra ha-ME-lekh el tzi-VA na-AR sha-UL va-YO-mer e-LAV, KOL a-SHER ha-YA l'-sha-UL u-l'-KOL bai-TO na-ta-TEE l'-ven a-do-NE-kha

טוַיִּקְרָ֣א הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֶל־צִיבָ֛א נַ֥עַר שָׁא֖וּל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה לְשָׁאוּל֙ וּלְכׇל־בֵּית֔וֹ נָתַ֖תִּי לְבֶן־אֲדֹנֶֽיךָ׃

10You and your sons and your slaves shall farm the land for him and shall bring in [its yield] to provide food for your master's grandson to live on; but Mefiboshet, your master's grandson, shall always eat at my table.”—Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves.—

v'-a-va-D'-TA lo et ha-a-da-MAH, a-TAH u-va-NE-kha, va-a-va-DE-kha, v'-he-VE-ta, v'-ha-YA l'-VEN a-do-NE-kha, LE-khem va-a-KHA-lo, u-m'-fi-BOSH-et ben a-do-NE-kha, yo-KHAL ta-MEED LE-khem al shul-KHA-NEE, u-l'-tzi-VA kha-mi-SHAH a-SAR ba-NEEM, v'-e-SH'-reem a-va-DEEM.

יוְעָבַ֣דְתָּ לּ֣וֹ אֶֽת־הָאֲדָמָ֡ה אַתָּה֩ וּבָנֶ֨יךָ וַעֲבָדֶ֜יךָ וְהֵבֵ֗אתָ וְהָיָ֨ה לְבֶן־אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ לֶּ֙חֶם֙ וַאֲכָל֔וֹ וּמְפִיבֹ֙שֶׁת֙ בֶּן־אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ יֹאכַ֥ל תָּמִ֛יד לֶ֖חֶם עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִ֑י וּלְצִיבָ֗א חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר בָּנִ֖ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים עֲבָדִֽים׃

11Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do just as my lord the king has commanded him.” “Mefiboshet shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons.”

vai-YO-mer tzi-VA el ha-ME-lekh, k'-KOL a-SHER y'-tza-VEH a-do-NEE ha-ME-lekh et a-v'-DO, KEN ya-a-SEH a-v'-DE-kha, u-m'-fi-BOSH-et o-KHEL al shul-KHA-nee, k'-a-KHAD mi-b'-NAY ha-ME-lekh

יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶת־עַבְדּ֔וֹ כֵּ֖ן יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וּמְפִיבֹ֗שֶׁת אֹכֵל֙ עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִ֔י כְּאַחַ֖ד מִבְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

12Mefiboshet had a young son named Mica; and all the members of Ziba's household worked for Mefiboshet.

v'-lim-fi-VOSH-et ben-ka-TAN u-sh'-MO mi-KHA v'-KOL mo-SHAV beit-TZI-va a-va-DEEM lim-fi-VOSH-et

יבוְלִמְפִיבֹ֥שֶׁת בֵּן־קָטָ֖ן וּשְׁמ֣וֹ מִיכָ֑א וְכֹל֙ מוֹשַׁ֣ב בֵּית־צִיבָ֔א עֲבָדִ֖ים לִמְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת׃

13Mefiboshet lived in Yerushalayim, for he ate regularly at the king's table. He was lame in both feet.

um-fee-VO-shet yo-SHAYV bee-ru-sha-LA-yim KEE al shul-KHAN ha-ME-lekh ta-MEED HU o-KHAYL v'-HU fi-SAY-akh sh'-TAY rag-LAV

יגוּמְפִיבֹ֗שֶׁת יֹשֵׁב֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם כִּ֣י עַל־שֻׁלְחַ֥ן הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ תָּמִ֖יד ה֣וּא אֹכֵ֑ל וְה֥וּא פִסֵּ֖חַ שְׁתֵּ֥י רַגְלָֽיו׃

 9:13 Mefiboshet lived in Yerushalayim

Nir Barkat (b. 1959)

For the sake of his beloved friend Yehonatan, King David gives Mefiboshet a place at his table in the royal palace in Yerushalayim. As Yerushalayim is the city of peace, it stands to reason that this is the place where King David made such a peaceful gesture. Hashem intends for Yerushalayim to be a place where all of Israel will be content with one another. To that end, the holy capital city is not the property of any one tribe. Rather, it belongs to the entire nation, and is the eternal religious and political center of the entire Jewish people. Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem, emphasized this idea in an article he published in honor of Jerusalem Day. He wrote, “My vision for the future of the city of Jerusalem is rooted in the past. Three thousand years ago, the Land of Israel was divided into allotments for each of the twelve tribes — except for the city of Jerusalem. Instead, Jerusalem was desig­nated as a city for all; it was to remain an open, uniting and united capital. Jerusalem became the center of the world, with leadership, innovation and inspiration emanating from the city….Forty-nine years ago, the capital of the Jewish people and the State of Israel were reunited, allowing the city to live up to its promise as a center for all people, with respect toward all religions….A united Jerusalem is the only viable option for a vibrant and thriving Jerusalem. This is our future. This is Jerusalem.”