David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth Theme of Kindness (9-10)
9 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
In 2 Samuel 7 David asked, “What can I do for God?” and he proposed to build a temple for the Lord. Now David asked another question we should each ask: “What can I do for others?”
The kindness of God: This phrase is key to understanding David’s motivation in this chapter. David wanted to show someone else the same kindness God had shown to him.
David did this because he remembered his relationship and covenant with Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:14-15). His actions were not only based on feelings, but also on the promise of a covenant.
David’s question showed great love because Saul made himself an enemy of David. It was customary in those days for the king of a new dynasty to completely massacre anyone connected with the prior dynasty. David went against the principle of revenge and against the principle of self-preservation and asked what he could do for the family of his enemy.
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 (Khesed) of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”
What motivates David to do this? 1 Samuel 20:14. (chapter 4, shameful breath, asthma)
We first learned of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 4:4. It tells us that this son of Jonathan was made lame in his feet from an accident when the household heard that his father Jonathan and his grandfather Saul died in battle.
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.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. This speaks of Mephibosheth’s low station in life. He didn’t even have his own house. Instead, he lived in the house of another man.
6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, (chapter 4, shameful breath, asthma) 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.” The knock on the door also meant that Mephibosheth was no longer hidden from David. He felt secure as long as he believed the new king didn’t know about him.
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 made a covenant with Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20, promising to show kindness to the descendants of Jonathan. David gladly made good on his promise, though Jonathan was long dead.
Will restore to you all the land of Saul: David simply promised Mephibosheth would receive what was his. Mephibosheth knew about these lands all along, but he was afraid to take possession of them because it would expose him before the king. David went against all custom in showing such kindness to an heir of the former dynasty.
8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
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.”
In addition to the land, David gave Mephibosheth servants to work the land. The food from the land was for Mephibosheth’s family, because he now ate at David’s table.
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.
Khesed Unconditional Loving Kindness of God, how does this change us?
We receive vertically and we distribute horizontally…Lord’s prayer, forgive Eph 4 forgive one another even as Christ has forgiven you. We live in an unkind world.