ment made of linen. So David
and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting
and the blare of trumpets.

When they had brought in the ark of Jehovah and had set it in its place
in the tent that David had built for it, he offered burnt-offerings and
sacrifices to Jehovah. When David had finished offering these
sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts and
gave to each of the many Israelites who were there, to both men and
women, a roll of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then
all the people went back to their homes.

This message also from Jehovah came to Nathan, the prophet: "You shall
say to my servant David: 'Jehovah of hosts declares, I took you from the
pasture from following the sheep to be chief over my people Israel. I
have been with you wherever you went, to destroy all your enemies before
you, and I will make you a name, like that of the great in the earth.
When your life is ended and you are buried with your fathers, I will
raise up your son after you, and I will make his rule strong. I will be
a father to him, and he shall be my son. When he goes astray I will
gently correct him. I will not withdraw my favor from him as I withdrew
it from Saul. Your house and your dominion shall always stand firm
before me; your authority shall stand forever.'"

DAVID'S KINDNESS TO JONATHAN'S SON

Then David asked, "Is any one left of the family of Saul to whom I may
show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" And there was a servant of Saul
named Ziba. When they called him before David, he said to him, "Are you
Ziba?" He replied, "Your servant." David said, "Is there any one else
belonging to the family of Saul to whom I may show kindness like that
which God shows to us?" Ziba answered, "A son of Jonathan is still
living, but he is lame in his feet." David inquired, "Where is he?" Ziba
replied, "He is in the house of Machir in Lodebar."

Then David sent and brought him from the house of Machir; and when
Meribaal the son of Jonathan came to David, he bowed down to the ground
before him. David said, "Meribaal!" He answered, "Here is your servant!"
David said to him, "Fear not, for I will surely show you kindness for
the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will give back to you all the
land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall always eat at my table."
Meribaal bowed down and said, "What is your servant that you should look
favorably upon one as unworthy as I?"