seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 9:1 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”
“At your service,” he replied.
3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”
Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”
4 “Where is he?” the king asked.
Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”
5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.
6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.
David said, “Mephibosheth!”
“At your service,” he replied.
7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
Here's the link to the commentary I read. A son of Jonathan: This means that according to the prior dynasty of Saul, Mephibosheth had the right to the throne. He was a son of the first-born son of the king, and other potential heirs were dead. In a political sense David could see Mephibosheth as a rival or a threat.
Then King David sent and brought him out of the house: Mephibosheth must have been terrified when messengers from David knocked at his door and demanded that he come with them to see the king. In the back of his mind he anticipated the day when David would do as other kings did and massacre every potential rival to his throne.
He was lame in both his feet: Mephibosheth’s weakness did not vanish. His life was far better, but he was still lame.
I left out a couple of chapters again. In chapter 7 David tried to build a temple for the Arc of the Covenant. God answered David with a resounding "Do you hear yourself?" God told David He was perfectly capable of building His own temple if that's what He wanted. David felt bad that he was living in that big Palace and the Arc was still in a tent. God told David, "In due time".
Then the next chapter was about all the battles David led successfully. David was quite the conqueror.
And now today's story. Jonathan had a son!!!! David didn't know there was anyone still kicking from Saul's family. Back in 2 Samuel 4 Johnathan's son was still alive and his nannie hid him to keep him safe.
When David asked if Saul had any other heirs, he found out about Mephibosheth. He sent for him.
David could have just kept all the wealth and pomp to himself. Instead, he wanted to share it with Saul's family. Saul was the first anointed king. David was second. David figured it was the right thing to do.
Mephibosheth and his nannie must have been scared to near death when they were summoned by the new king. Most kings would wipe out the family of the "conquered" king. That way they wouldn't have to keep looking over their shoulder for a revenge strike over the right to sit on the throne.
I bet Mephibosheth's lame feet were shaking like jello. I bet he was waiting for the blade to chop off his head. I bet his nannie was crying out for mercy on Mephibosheth.
He must have been quite relieved and surprised to find out he and his caretakers would be taken care of as David's family. That was quite kind of David.
If David couldn't build a temple for the Arc to honor God, he would do the next best thing. Mephibosheth would eat at the king's table for the rest of his life.
Riches don't really mean much to shepherds. Riches can't compare with the crisp autumn air. Riches can't compare with the sun's warmth on their back. David didn't need all the riches, pomp, and circumstance. In fact, I get the idea, he was quite clumsy with all the riches... at first.
Mephibosheth was accompanied by not only Ziba [his caretaker] but Ziba's family as well.
Check out verse 10. Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.
I know David's palace didn't echo as much after all those people moved in: It buzzed.
David made things right with Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth.
Was this boy clubfooted?