Chapter Nine
David Meets Mephibosheth
9:1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
David remembered his promise to Jonathan (see 1 Samuel 18:3; 20:42; 23:18; 24:21-22) that he would not cut off his name from his father’s house. Here David expands that promise by desiring to show kindness (Hebrew ḥě’·sěḏ, click here to read a short commentary on this word) to any of Saul’s remaining offspring for Jonathan’s sake.
9:2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”
It is not clear as to who David was talking to regarding finding any of Saul’s living offspring in verse one, but Ziba is identified as a servant of the house of Saul. So David has him brought to him and is asked if anyone from the house of Saul was still alive that he could show the kindness (same Hebrew word) of God to them. Ziba tells David that a son of Jonathan still lives, and that he is crippled in his feet. Earlier in chapter four when we were introduced to Mephibosheth (see 2 Samuel 4:4), we were told that when he was five years old his nurse picked him up and ran, but fell which crippled both of his feet (see verse 13 below). David asks where is he now and is told that he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.
This is the first mention of Machir the son of Ammiel, there are two Machirs in the Old Testament, the first was the son of Manasseh (see Genesis 50:23), whose clan settled in Gilead, a region that may include Lo-debar (see Numbers 32:40; 36:1; Deuteronomy 3:15; Joshua 13:31; 17:1-3). The actual location of Lo-debar is unknown, but is thought to have been near Mahanaim, Ish-bosheth’s old capital city in Gilead. This Machir may have been named after him. The name Lo-debar essentially means “no land” or “no pasture,” offering the idea that it was a less than ideal place to live.
9:5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.”
Recognizing the awkward position of being the only living offspring of the previous king and now in the presence of the new king, Mephibosheth undoubtedly was nervous, as it was common for any remnants of any previous dynasties to be killed to prevent them from any potential future uprisings. But that was not why David brought him there.
9:7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.”
David first tells him to relax and not be afraid, as he plans on showing him kindness (same word as above) for the sake of his father Jonathan, who he made a covenant with. He then tells him that he will restore all of the land that Saul possessed to him and that he will for now on eat at his table.
9:8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
Mephibosheth is overwhelmed and paid homage (Hebrew yiš·tǎ’·ḥû, to bow down, to lay prostrate before, to fall down) to David. He then asked, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” It appears that Mephibosheth had been dependent up to this point on the generosity of one man and now suddenly he became a rich man, the owner of a producing property. He refers to himself as a “dead dog,” someone who is worthless. If David responded to the comment, it is not recorded.
9:9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
David informs Ziba that he is restoring everything that belonged to Saul to Mephibosheth, and that he and his sons will continue to operate the farm for Mephibosheth. We are told that Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants, not a small household, but Ziba faithfully acknowledges David’s change in ownership. And Mephibosheth moved to Jerusalem and ate at David’s table.
We are told that Mephibosheth had a young son by the name of Mica and that all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants.