Sermon Tone Analysis

Date of event: circa 999 B.C.

Key people: King David and Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, son of King Saul

Note: Mephibosheth is likely a purposefully corrupted form of this man’s given name, Merib-ba’al.

This was likely done by a later scribe who wanted to remove all connection of the royal house of Saul with worship of the false god Ba’al.

Ba’al was a false god of the Canaanite peoples and means “master.”

Merib-ba’al means, “contender with Ba’al,” whereas “Mephibosheth” means “from the mouth of shame.”

In this way they derided and made fun of the false god Ba’al.

This is also seen in the name of Mephibosheth’s uncle, Ish-bosheth.

His given name was likely “Esh-ba’al,” which means “man of Ba’al,” whereas Ish-bosheth means “man of shame.”

We also see this in 2 Kings chapter 1, where Ahaziah goes to inquire of the false god of Ekron (Philistines).

The text says that he went to inquire of “Ba’al-zebub” or “lord of flies.”

The likely name of this false deity was “Ba’al-zebul,” which speaks of Ba’al being a prince.

And so calling him “lord of flies” is a mockery of Ba’al.

This name shows up also in the New Testament, where Jesus equates “Beelzebul” (Greek form) with Satan and his activity.

David was anointed by Samuel to be king in place of Saul when he was about 15 years old.

Saul drove David into exile by trying to kill him and when David returned from exile and began to reign over Judah, he was about 30 years old.

David reigned over Judah, but not all of Israel at first, for 7 years.

When he became king over all of Israel he was about 40 years old.

So at the time of this event, David has been waiting to receive the kingdom from God for almost 25 years.

There is a story hidden away in the Old Testament.

It is a story of a king and a cripple.

A story of undeserved love and of mercy and of kindness.

A story of one who has everything, and of one who has nothing, but who is given everything.

It is an ancient story, and yet, in so many ways, it is our story too–yours and mine.

There is a story hidden away in the Old Testament.

It is a story of a king and a cripple.

A story of undeserved love and of mercy and of kindness.

A story of one who has everything, and of one who has nothing, but who is given everything.

It is an ancient story, and yet, in so many ways, it is our story too–yours and mine.

It is the story of King David and a crippled boy named Mephibosheth.

And their story is found in the ninth chapter of second Samuel.

But before we hear their story, I think it is helpful for you to understand some of the background to what is going on here.

It is the story of King David and a

crippled boy named Mephibosheth.

And their story is found in the ninth chapter of second Samuel.

But before we hear their story, I think it is helpful for you to understand some of the background to what is going on here.

David is now king over all of Israel.

He was anointed as a boy to be king after Saul, and this made him an enemy to Saul, and Saul sought to take David’s life.

David and Jonathan (Saul’s son) were the best of friends.

But they had to part ways as David was on the run for a while before he was eventually able to return to Judah.

David would only see his friend one more time before Jonathan died in battle.

After David returned from exile, he was anointed as king over Hebron (a major city in Judah).

He reigned there for seven and a half years before finally being anointed as king over the whole nation of Israel.

David was first anointed king by Samuel when he was about 15 years old.

He was 30 years old when he began to reign over Judah and now, 7 years later, he is nearly 40 and has finally received the kingdom promised to him by God almost 25 years earlier.

That was David.

The other person in this story is a man by the name of Mephibosheth, who was just 5 years old when the news came that his grandfather, King Saul, and his father, Jonathan, were killed in battle against the Philistines.

Upon hearing this news, Mephibosheth’s nurse took him and fled, but in her haste she dropped him and he became lame in both his feet.

Upon hearing this news, Mephibosheth’s nurse took him and fled, but in her haste she dropped him and he became lame in both his feet.

His father was dead, his grandfather was dead and his uncle was recently murdered as well.

He was about 13 years old and he alone was left of the house of Saul, the one who made David his enemy.

Now, the most natural thing for David to do now that he is king over all of Israel would be to wipe out anyone remaining that could challenge his ascension to the throne.

Now, the most natural thing for David to do now that he is king over all of Israel would be to wipe out anyone remaining that could challenge his ascension to the throne.

You see, this had already happened earlier on the road to his kingship.

After the death of King Saul there were those that wanted to put his last remaining son, Ish-bosheth, on the throne and they challenged David’s claim to kingship by holding up Ish-bosheth as the rightful heir because of his blood connection to King Saul.

This was bad news for Ish-bosheth, however, because he was murdered by his own people who sought to bring themselves into David’s favor by removing the last contender to the throne.

In light of this, it would be very natural for Mephibosheth to fear that there would be those who would also seek his life and end, once-and-for-all, any competing claim to the throne of Israel on the basis of a blood connection to King Saul.

However, this is not what David did.

Instead, he did what probably seemed to be very foolish to those who knew him and who were his advisors.

However, this is not what David did.

Instead, he did what probably seemed to be very foolish to those who knew him and who were his advisors.

And so let us now turn to and read the story of David and Mephibosheth:

1And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 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.” 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.”

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.”

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.

As our text tells us, David wants to know if there is anyone left in the house of Saul.

Again, the normal practice would be to wipe out any remaining opposition to his claim to the throne.

But David seeks out Mephibosheth for another reason: to show kindness to him.

11Then 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.

As our text tells us, David wants to know if there is anyone left in the house of Saul.

Again, the normal practice would be to wipe out any remaining opposition to his claim to the throne.

But David seeks out Mephibosheth for another reason: to show kindness to him.

Why would David do this, you might ask.

He did it because of his love for Jonathan and the covenant that they made with each other before God to always do good and act kindly toward each other and their descendants.

When David hears that Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, is still alive, he sends for him.

Mephibosheth comes to David–remember, Mephibosheth is a cripple.

He could not come to David on his own–he had to be carried to the king.

And so Mephibosheth is carried before King David and he pays homage to David and says, “I am your servant.”

And so Mephibosheth is carried before King David and he pays homage to David and says, “I am your servant.”

Mephibosheth is likely very nervous–imagine if your grandfather tried to kill the person who is now in authority over you, and he summons you to come before him–you would likely be pretty nervous as well.

David, seeing Mephibosheth’s nervousness and fear, gently comforts him and says, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father, Jonathan.”

David goes on, “I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father.”

And David doesn’t stop there.

He also says, “And you shall eat at my table always.”