Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
David » King of israel » Treats mephibosheth, the lame son of saul, with great kindness
Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell face down and lay himself down [in respect]. David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
Mephibosheth the son [grandson] of Saul came down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until he returned in peace and safety. And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, David said to him, Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth? He said, My lord O king, my servant [Ziba] deceived me; for I said, Saddle me the donkey that I may ride on it and go to the king, for your servant is lame [but he took the donkey and left without me]. read more.
He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But the king is as an angel of God; so do what is good in your eyes. For all of my father's house were but doomed to death before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I to cry any more to the king? The king said to him, Why speak any more of your affairs? I say, You and Ziba divide the land. Mephibosheth said to the king, Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has returned home in safety and peace.
He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But the king is as an angel of God; so do what is good in your eyes. For all of my father's house were but doomed to death before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I to cry any more to the king? The king said to him, Why speak any more of your affairs? I say, You and Ziba divide the land. Mephibosheth said to the king, Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has returned home in safety and peace.
King » Ceremonial recognition of » Prostration
Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell face down and lay himself down [in respect]. David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
Again Mephibosheth lay himself face down and said, “What is your servant, that you would be concerned for a dead dog like me?”
And she stood and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your maidservant is [ready to be] a maid to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
The king was told, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came before the king, he bowed before the king with his face to the ground.
Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, and laid herself face down before the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
Moreover, the king’s servants came to bless (congratulate) our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better (more famous) than your name and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself [before God] upon the bed.
Mephibosheth » General references to
Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is [now] yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down [in honor and gratitude]; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord the king.”
Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the news [of the deaths] of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. And the boy’s nurse picked him up and fled; but it happened that while she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell face down and lay himself down [in respect]. David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he answered, “Here is your servant!”
Mephibosheth » Son of jonathan » David entertains him at his table
But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between David and Saul’s son Jonathan.
And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake? And of the house of Saul there was a servant whose name was Ziba. When they had called him to David, he said to him, Are you Ziba? He said, I, your servant, am he. The king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the [unfailing, unsought, unlimited] mercy and kindness of God? Ziba replied, Jonathan has yet a son who is lame in his feet. read more.
And the king said, Where is he? Ziba replied, He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold your servant! David said to him, Fear not, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father [grandfather], and you shall eat at my table always.
And the king said, Where is he? Ziba replied, He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold your servant! David said to him, Fear not, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father [grandfather], and you shall eat at my table always.