David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth. David said to him, “Do not be afraid, for I will certainly show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall always eat at my table.” 2Sa 9:7
THE REIGN OF DAVID
INTRODUCTION
The Second Book of Samuel is devoted entirely to the reign of David. His coronation, first by Judah and then by all of the tribes, his wars and conquests, his care for the religious life of the people, his sins, and the calamities he suffered, are impartially set forth in vivid and convincing narrative.
“A very notable thing in the books of Samuel,” says James Robertson, “is the prominence given to music and song. There is in these books an unusual number of poetical pieces ascribed to this period, and all the indications put together give ample justification for the fame of David as the sweet singer of Israel, and for the ascription to him of the origin of that volume of sacred song which never ceased in Israel, and has become embodied in the Psalms.”
18. Why did David treat Mephibosheth kindly?
DAVID’S KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH
And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house (family) of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
There was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, so they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am your servant.”
And the king said, “Is there no longer anyone left of the house (family) of Saul to whom I may show the goodness and graciousness of God?” Ziba replied to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan, [one] whose feet are crippled.” [1Sa_20:14-17]
So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba replied to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.”
Then King David sent word and had him brought from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell face down and lay himself down [in respect]. David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
David said to him, “Do not be afraid, for I will certainly show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall always eat at my table.”
Again Mephibosheth lay himself face down and said, “What is your servant, that you would be concerned for a dead dog like me?”
Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and to all his house (family).
You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat; but Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do according to everything that my lord the king commands.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as one of the king’s sons.
Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.
So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he always ate at the king’s table. And he was lame in both feet.
DAVID’S KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH
KINDNESS FOR JONATHAN’S SAKE
This poor cripple at Lodebar never supposed that David would show him favor. Did he not belong to the rejected house of Saul? What could he expect from one whom his grandfather had hunted like a partridge on the mountains? Besides, his lameness made him unfit for court-life. We, like him, are the children of an apostate race; we have neither beauty nor worth to commend us. We may class together those two sentences: “What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?” and, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord,” 2Sa_9:8 and Luk_5:8.
But Mephibosheth had been included in a covenant. He might be unaware of it, but David could not forget, 1Sa_20:14-16. For the sake of the beloved Jonathan, David treated his son as a blood-relation. Nothing in the course of events could alter the sacred word that David had sworn to his departed friend. Our own case is similar. We were chosen in Christ before the world began, predestined to be sons, included in the covenant between the Father and our Surety. Let us join with Paul in Eph_1:3.
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