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Mephibosheth

Lame and afraid, he was invited to eat at King David’s table for his father’s sake.

Old Testament · c. 1000 BC · 2 Samuel · Also known as Merib-baal, Son of Jonathan

About Mephibosheth

Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, David’s closest friend, and grandson of King Saul. When news came that Saul and Jonathan had died, his nurse fled with him, and he fell and became lame; he was five. Years later David asked, "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?" He gave Mephibosheth all Saul’s land and a place at the king’s table for life. During Absalom’s rebellion, his servant Ziba accused him of disloyalty. When David returned, Mephibosheth, who had mourned the whole time, said, "let him take all."

In the ancient world a new king often wiped out the previous king’s family. David’s kindness to Saul’s grandson kept the covenant he had made with Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:14-17). The Hebrew word for this loyal kindness, hesed, is central to the story.

The story

He fell, and became lame

"Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame."

2 Samuel 4:4

For Jonathan’s sake

David asked, "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?" Mephibosheth was brought, and fell on his face. "Fear not," said David, "for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake… and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually."

2 Samuel 9:1-7

Such a dead dog as I am

"What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" Mephibosheth asked. But David gave him all Saul’s land, with Ziba’s household to farm it, "so Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet."

2 Samuel 9:8-13

Let him take all

When David fled from Absalom, Ziba claimed Mephibosheth had stayed behind hoping to be made king. On David’s return, Mephibosheth came out unwashed, his feet and beard untended since the king left. "My servant deceived me," he said. When David split the land, he answered, "Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house."

2 Samuel 16:1-4; 19:24-30

Key moments

Questions about Mephibosheth

In meetBible these answers are given in Mephibosheth’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.

Why was David kind to you?

David said it himself: "that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake." Long before, my father and David had made a covenant, and Jonathan had asked David not to cut off his kindness from his house for ever. When I was brought in, afraid, David said, "Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake."

What did you mean by "dead dog"?

I said, "What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" It was a way of saying I was worthless, a lame grandson of the king who had hunted David, with no claim on his kindness. David answered by giving me a place at his table "as one of the king’s sons."

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Read it yourself

Start with 2 Samuel 4:4; 9; 19.

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