leewalker@bizspec.com

September 10, 2007

Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. (Numbers 10: 35 KJV

2 Samuel Chapter 9 Author: Unknown KJV

David and Mephibosheth

I like this story because it shows David’s faithfulness and love for Jonathan in keeping his promise.  Jonathan asked David to treat his descendants with kindness.  Both Jonathan and David knew they would not always be together, and at the time Jonathan was the crown prince under his father Saul.  Jonathan also knew he would not ascend to the throne, but that David being God’s anointed king would one day sit on the throne over Israel.

(2 Samuel 9:1 KJV)  "And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

True to his promise, David is searching for descendants of Jonathan who might still be alive.

(2 Samuel 9:2-3 KJV)  "And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba?

And he said, Thy servant is he.

{3} And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him?

And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet."

If you recall from 2 Samuel 4:4 Mephibosheth and his nurse fled from Jonathan’s house when she learned of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan.  In the rush to get away, Mephibosheth fell and broke his feet making him a cripple for the rest of his life.

(2 Samuel 9:4 KJV)  "And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar."

Mephibosheth was hiding in Lo Debar.  He did not have his own house, but was living with Makir. 

Where was Lo Debar?  Have you ever been so far away from civilization that all you could see was sticks, sand, scrub trees and no water?  Well to get to Lo Debar you had to go about ten miles farther before you would be there.

Mephibosheth was as far as he could get from David and still remain in the safety of Israel.

(2 Samuel 9:5 KJV)  "Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar."

Mephibosheth knew the David was going to kill him.  That was what a new monarch would do once he ascended the throne, he would go about and kill all the family of the deposed king and all his advisors.

(2 Samuel 9:6 KJV)  "Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth.

And he answered, Behold thy servant!"

Mephibosheth was shaking, his knees were knocking, his stomach was in his throat because he knew he was not going to leave there alive.

(2 Samuel 9:7 KJV)  "And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually."

Mephibosheth was blown away.  Instead of being killed, David restored him to the land that belonged to Saul.  Since he could not work the land himself David made him as a son allowing him to live in his house and he would always eat with the King.

(2 Samuel 9:8 KJV)  "And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?"

Mephibosheth was grateful for what the king has done, but it even gets better.

(2 Samuel 9:9-10 KJV)  "Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. {10} 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."

The king puts Ziba under the hire of Mephibosheth to work his land.  Ziba and his family were paid a fair salary for farming the land and the profits brought to Mephibosheth for his welfare

(2 Samuel 9:11-13 KJV)  "Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

{12} And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. {13} So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet."