Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Reflections on 2 Samuel 9


    2 Samuel 09 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. One day, David thought, "I wonder if any of Saul's family are still alive. If they are, I will be kind to them, because I made a promise to Jonathan."
  2. David called in Ziba, one of the servants of Saul's family. David said, "So you are Ziba." "Yes, Your Majesty, I am."
  3. David asked, "Are any of Saul's family still alive? If there are, I want to be kind to them." Ziba answered, "One of Jonathan's sons is still alive, but he can't walk."
  4. "Where is he?" David asked. Ziba replied, "He lives in Lo-Debar with Machir the son of Ammiel."
  5. David sent some servants to bring Jonathan's son from Lo-Debar. His name was Mephibosheth, and he was the grandson of Saul. He came to David and knelt down. David asked, "Are you Mephibosheth?" "Yes, I am, Your Majesty."
  6. (SEE 9:5)
  7. David said, "Don't be afraid. I'll be kind to you because Jonathan was your father. I'm going to give you back the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. Besides that, you will always eat with me at my table."
  8. Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, "Why should you care about me? I'm worth no more than a dead dog."
  9. David called in Ziba, Saul's chief servant, and told him, "Since Mephibosheth is Saul's grandson, I've given him back everything that belonged to your master Saul and his family.
  10. You and your fifteen sons and twenty servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will farm his land and bring in his crops, so that Saul's family and servants will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat with me at my table."
  11. Ziba replied, "Your Majesty, I will do exactly what you tell me to do." So Ziba's family and servants worked for Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was lame, but he lived in Jerusalem and ate at David's table, just like one of David's own sons. And he had a young son of his own, named Mica.
  12. (SEE 9:11)
  13. (SEE 9:11)

    God was giving David rest from his enemies allowing him to think of things other than the security of the nation. His mind went to his covnenat with his friend, Jonathan, Saul's son. Jonathan, realizing God's hand was on David to be king and that his father would at some point be deposed from office and uncertain of what that meant for himself, made a covenant with David, saying, "don't ever withdraw your faithful love from my household--not even when the LORD cuts off every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth." (1 Samuel 20:15)

    In light of this covenant David inquired whether anyone remained of Saul's family he could "show kindness to because of Jonathan?" (9:1) He was told of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth who was lame in both feet. David sent for him and restored to him land that had belonged to Saul and invited him to eat at the king's table. In addition, he assigned Ziba, who had been a servant of Saul's family, along with his sons, to farm the land given to Mephibosheth.

    David's actions continued to demonstrate his godly heart, using his position as king for the benefit of those he ruled rather than for his own benefit.

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