2 Samuel 9

Chapter context

What is happening in 2 Samuel 9?

Davidic covenantsin and judgmentmercykingship

2 Samuel 9 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as the ark and the Davidic covenant. Second Samuel narrates David’s consolidation of rule, the covenant promise to his house, his sin with Bathsheba, and the convulsions that follow within his family and kingdom. Read this chapter with the wider themes of Davidic covenant, sin and judgment, and mercy in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? ² And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. ³ And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. ⁴ And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. ⁵ Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. ⁶ Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! ⁷ And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. ⁸ And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? ⁹ Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. ¹⁰ Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. ¹¹ Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. ¹² And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. ¹³ So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.

Study helps

Glossary

David Person v. 1-2, 5-7: Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25 .
Saul Person v. 1-3, 6-7, 9: Asked for. (1. ) A king of Edom ( Gen. 36:37 , 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48 .
Ziba Person v. 2-4, 9-12: Post; statue, “a servant of the house of Saul” ( 2 Sam. 9:2 ), who informed David that Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan, was alive.
Jonathan Person v. 3, 6-7: Whom Jehovah gave, the name of fifteen or more persons that are mentioned in Scripture. The chief of these are, (1. ) A Levite descended from Gershom ( Judg. 18:30 ). His history is recorded in 17:7-13 and 18:30.
Ammiel Person v. 4-5: People of God. (1. ) One of the twelve spies sent by Moses to search the land of Canaan ( Num. 13:12 ). He was one of the ten who perished by the plague for their unfavourable report ( Num. 14:37 ).
Lo-debar Place v. 4-5: No pasture, ( 2 Sam. 17:27 ), a town in Gilead not far from Mahanaim, north of the Jabbok (9:4, 5). It is probably identical with Debir ( Josh. 13:26 ). Modern identification: Tel Dover.
Mephibosheth Person v. 6, 10-13: Exterminator of shame; i. e., of idols. (1. ) The name of Saul’s son by the concubine Rizpah (q. v. ), the daughter of Aiah.
Micha Person v. 12: (1. ) 2 Sam. 9:12 =MICAH (2). (2. ) The son of Zabdi, a Levite of the family of Asaph ( Neh. 11:17 , 22).
Jerusalem Place v. 13: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.