CM A Self-worth Struggler

Mephibosheth

When King Saul and his son Jonathan were both killed in battle, Jonathan’s brother Ish-bosheth laid claim to the throne. It was the custom in those days for a new king to kill all other claimants to the throne, even members of his own family, in order to secure his own position. A nurse fled with Jonathan’s five-year-old son Mephibosheth, fearing for his life.

During the flight she fell and dropped him, and both his feet were broken. He did not receive proper care, and he was lame for the rest of his life (2 Sam. 4:4). The child’s name was originally Merib-baal (“Hero of the Lord”) (1 Chron. 8:34). It is not clear when he came to be called Mephibosheth (“From the Mouth of Shame”), but it was probably in reference either to Saul’s defeat or to his own lameness—physical defect was believed to be punishment for sin.

When David took the throne of Israel, he wanted to honor his close friendship with Jonathan. Although Saul had sought to kill David, Jonathan had loyally remained his friend. David had Ziba, a servant of Saul’s household, search to find if there were any surviving heirs of Jonathan. Because of the custom of killing all the heirs of a deposed king, Mephibosheth, now a twelve-year-old boy and the only surviving heir to Saul’s throne, was terrified as he was brought before David. David told him, “Do not be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table” (2 Sam. 9:7). Mephibosheth was welcomed at David’s table as warmly as David had originally been welcomed at Saul’s.

Ziba was assigned to serve Mephibosheth, working the lands that had been restored to him. Sometime thereafter, when David’s son Absalom revolted and tried to dethrone his father, Ziba was able (probably through some kind of black market) to keep David well supplied. In order to enrich himself, however, he lied to David and told him that Mephibosheth was trying to overthrow him and restore Saul’s dynasty. David gave Ziba all of Mephibosheth’s lands (2 Sam. 16:1–4). Later Mephibosheth defended his loyalty satisfactorily and proved Ziba’s perfidy. Because Ziba had served him so well during Absalom’s rebellion, however, David did not punish him. He separated him from Mephibosheth and divided the lands equally between them (2 Sam. 19:24–30).

Mephibosheth had a son named Mica (2 Sam. 9:12), who became the patriarch of a noted family in Israel (1 Chron. 8:35). There is no record of what finally happened to Mephibosheth.

Another Mephibosheth is mentioned in 2 Samuel, but apparently he was the son of Saul by his concubine Rizpah. He was killed by the Gibeonites (2 Sam. 21).

2 Samuel chapter 9

Mephibosheth felt like the weakest link in the royal chain. Crippled in both feet at a young age, he never felt able to live up to the accomplishments of his family. His grandfather King Saul was a fierce warrior. His father, Jonathan, was an accomplished soldier.

But Mephibosheth was unable to stand on his own two feet, let alone to do battle. Following the deaths of both Saul and Jonathan, when David claimed the throne, Mephibosheth sank into financial and emotional quicksand. He lived in the land of Lo-Debar, which means “the House of No Bread.” While his family had ruled a nation and enjoyed substantial wealth, he ended up with nothing. From the palace to poverty … since he could not even afford his own lodging, he lived in another man’s home.

King David summons Mephibosheth to appear before his throne. Mephibosheth knows his life has no value. After a change in dynasty, the custom of the day was to execute the previous royal line. He knows King David can kill him on the spot to eliminate any competition for the throne.

Mephibosheth feels helpless and hopeless. He shuffles on his lame feet, crawling into the new king’s house to answer David’s summons. He throws himself on the ground before David declaring himself to be nothing more than a “dead dog.” David’s response shocked the young cripple who had known little kindness in his life. “ ‘Don’t be afraid,’ David said to him, ‘for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table’ ” (2 Samuel 9:7).

Imagine his astonishment! David—the feared warrior-king—had demonstrated compassion to a cripple. But why—why toward this weak invalid who was, in his own words “a dead dog” … one who could offer no service to the king … one who was a reminder of his grandfather’s murderous vengeance directed toward David? Because long before, David had entered into a covenant relationship with Jonathan … a covenant commitment, a covenant vow of loyalty that extends even to the family of Jonathan. And as David promised, “Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons” (2 Samuel 9:11).

Picture the household of David gathering for an evening meal. The aristocratic and selfish yet powerful Amnon, the proud and handsome Absalom with his beautiful sister Tamar, the scholarly, withdrawn, and poetic person of Solomon. Then shuffling along behind them and taking his place among the king’s sons and daughters at the finest table in the land is this “dead dog” Mephibosheth. He may have once felt worthless and utterly without value, but because of the king’s grace, he discovered his infinite worth.

If you suffer from feelings of inferiority—feeling like an emotional cripple—know that the King of Kings has graciously reached out to you with care and compassion to adopt you into His family and take you as His own. As a member of the family of Christ, you have a place reserved at the King’s table … forever. Make no mistake, you are no mistake … not only are you wanted, but you also have immeasurable worth. The Bible even says …

“In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.…”

(Ephesians 1:4–5)