²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”^{(A) 26} He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘Saddle a donkey for me^[a] so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame.^{(B) 27} He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you.^(C)