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DAVID’S KINDNESS TO JONATHAN. II Samuel 9:1-13. 4/25/2021. #19.
II Samuel 9 [New King James Version]
1 Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” 3 Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” 4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth[b] the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” 7 So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” 8 Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” 9 And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.” “As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at [c]my table like one of the king’s sons.” 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in both his feet.
- David’s complexities
- David could be very tender and forgiving one moment, but horrifyingly brutal in another moment
- David’s tenderness is seen here with his desire to honor his friend, Jonathan, through kindness to his son
- David spared Saul’s life twice
- David spared Nabol’s family for Abigail’s sake
- David showed kindness to the king of Moab for sheltering his family from Saul’s wrath
- David stopped Benaiah from beheading Shimei when Shimei cursed David at Absalom’s rebellion
- David could be callously brutal:
- He executes the Amalekite who brought him Saul’s crown and signet ring
- David executed the slayers of Ishbosheth
- David lines up captured men of Moab to execute
- David gives to the Gibeonites all 5 of his sister-in-law’s (Merab) sons for execution (the grandsons of Barzillai, sustainer of David’s army)
- I Kings 2 David instructs Solomon to be kind to Barzillai’s sons, but David has all five of his son, Adriel, executed
- There seems to be a disconnect in David’s reasoning (remember, Merab, was promised to David by Saul)
- David cruelly has his faithful servant Uriah killed after he violated his wife (then he acted as if he had done nothing wrong)
- On his deathbed David instructs Solomon to execute Joab and Shimei
- Mercy to Mephibosheth
- Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was made lame when his nurse dropped him when he was five years old, while fleeing from the Philistines who had defeated Saul and Jonathan
- Now that David was securely on the throne, he wanted to honor his pledge to Jonathan by showing kindness to his family
- David calls Ziba, who had served Saul’s house, and asks him if there were any of Jonathan’s descendants left
- Ziba tells David of Mephibosheth
- David sends for Mephibosheth
- Mephibosheth is terrified, fearing execution
- David eases Mephibosheth’s fears and informs him that Mephibosheth shall sit at the king’s table for his father’s sake (heritage works in his favor here)
- David repays his debt
- David commands Ziba and his family to take care of Mephibosheth’s lands and family
- Myopia in me
- Most of us have severe blind spots
- We are complex beings, impacted by sinful nature
- Most of us are a mixture of good intent and flawed personality that causes issues (selfishness, neglect, inconsistencies, moodiness, self-deception)
- David’s inconsistencies came from 3 areas: (1) his own nature (2) acquiring absolute power (3) no check on his decisions (did not often consult with advisors)
- Awareness of our own flaws is key to avoiding missteps
- Most of us have severe blind spots