Difference between revisions of "Mephibosheth"

<p> '''1.''' Saul's son by [[Rizpah]] (&nbsp;2 Samuel 21:8); "crucified" ( '''''Yaqah''''' ; not '''''Talah''''' , which would mean "hanged up") with six others before [[Jehovah]] by the [[Gibeonites]] to avert the famine; from barley harvest until the rains of October the bodies remained exposed to the sun (compare &nbsp;Numbers 25:4), but watched by Rizpah's pious care, and finally were committed to Kish's sepulchre. </p> <p> '''2.''' Saul's grandson, son of Jonathan. Originally Merib-baal, an ancestor being named [[Baal]] (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:30; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:33; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:24; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 9:36). (See [[Ishbosheth]] ; [[Jerubbaal]] When Saul and [[Jonathan]] fell at [[Gilboa]] [[Mephibosheth]] was but five years old. His nurse at the sad tidings took him up and fled; in her haste she let him fall from her shoulders (Josephus Ant., vii. 5, section 5), whereon children in the East are carried, and he became lame of both feet (&nbsp;2 Samuel 4:4; &nbsp;2 Samuel 9:13). He had been for a considerable time living in obscurity with Machir in [[Lodebar]] beyond Jordan, near Mahanaim, his uncle Ishbosheth's seat of government, when David through [[Ziba]] heard of him, and for the sake of Jonathan, and his promise respecting Jonathan's seed (&nbsp;1 Samuel 20:15; &nbsp;1 Samuel 20:42), restored to him all the land of Saul and admitted him to eat bread at his table at [[Jerusalem]] continually. (See [[Machir]] .) </p> <p> Ziba, from being a menial of Saul's house, had managed to become master himself of 20 servants; with these and his 15 sons he, by David's command, tilled the land for Mephibosheth, for though Mephibosheth was henceforth David's guest, and needed no provision, he had a son [[Micha]] (1 Samuel 9; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:34-35) and a retinue to maintain as a prince. His deformity, added to the depression of Saul's family, produced in him an abject fear and characteristic humility which are expressed in a manner sad to read of when one remembers the bygone greatness of Saul's house. It is a retribution in kind that the representative of Saul's family now calls himself before David by the contemptuous title which once David in self abasement used before Saul, "dead dog" (&nbsp;2 Samuel 9:8; &nbsp;1 Samuel 24:14). </p> <p> The same depressed spirit appears in &nbsp;2 Samuel 19:26-28. [[Seventeen]] years subsequently, in Absalom's rebellion, Ziba rendered important service to David by meeting him as he crossed Olivet, with two strong "he donkeys" ( '''''Chamor''''' ) ready saddled for the king's use, bread, raisins, fruits, and wine. With shrewd political forecast, guessing the failure of the rebellion, Ziba gained David's favor at the cost of Mephibosheth, whom he misrepresented as staying at Jerusalem in expectation of regaining the kingdom (&nbsp;2 Samuel 16:1-4). David in hasty credulity (&nbsp;Proverbs 18:13; &nbsp;John 7:51 on the spot assigned all Mephibosheth's property to Ziba. On David's return to Jerusalem Mephibosheth made known the true state of the case, that Ziba had deceived him when he desired to saddle the donkey and go to the king, and had slandered him (&nbsp;2 Samuel 19:24-30). His squalid appearance, with unwashed feet, unattended beard, and soiled clothes, indicating the deepest mourning ever since the king departed, attested his truthfulness. </p> <p> David saw his error, but had not the courage to rectify it altogether. Ziba's service to him in his extremity outweighed his perfidy to Mephibosheth. Impatiently ''(For [[Conscience]] [[Told]] Him He Had Been Unjust To Mephibosheth And Still Was Only Half Just)'' David replied, "why speakest thou any more of thy matters? Thou and Ziba divide the land." Mephibosheth had everything to lose and nothing to gain from Absalom's success. A cripple and a [[Benjamite]] could never dream of being preferred by Judah to the handsome Absalom; interest and gratitude bound him to David. Ziba had it completely in his power to leave him unable to stir from Jerusalem during the rebellion, by taking away the asses; the king and his friends were gone. So not merely servility, but sincere satisfaction at David's return, prompted his reply: "let Ziba take all, forasmuch as my lord is come again in peace." David's non-mention of Mephibosheth on his death bed is doubtless because Mephibosheth had died in the eight years that intervened between David's return and his death. </p> <p> Mephibosheth typifies man once son of the King; then having lost his right by the fall, as Mephibosheth did by Saul's and Jonathan's death at Gilboa. [[Bearing]] a name of reproach like Mephibosheth, instead of his name of innocence; banished to the outskirts of the moral wilderness, like Mephibosheth in Lodebar; liable to perish by the sword of justice, as Saul's other sons (2 Samuel 21); paralyzed by original sin, as Mephibosheth lamed from infancy in both feet; invited by the Lord and Savior, after having spoiled principalities, to sit down at the royal table (&nbsp;Matthew 8:11; &nbsp;Revelation 19:7; &nbsp;Revelation 19:9), as Mephibosheth was by David after conquering all his foes, on the ground of the everlasting covenant (&nbsp;Jeremiah 31:3); as David regarded Mephibosheth because of his covenant with Jonathan (&nbsp;1 Samuel 20:15; &nbsp;1 Samuel 20:42). Fear is man's first feeling in the Lord's presence (&nbsp;Luke 5:8); but He reassures the trembling sinner (&nbsp;Isaiah 43:1; &nbsp;Revelation 2:7), as David did Mephibosheth, restoring him to a princely estate. </p>

<p> 1. Son of Jonathan, the son of Saul. When five years old he fell from his nurse's arms or shoulder, and became lame on both his feet. When David came into power he inquired if there were any of Saul's descendants to whom he could show the kindness of God for Jonathan's sake, and Mephibosheth was found. All that had been Saul's possessions were given to Mephibosheth under the care of Ziba as his servant, and Mephibosheth was made to sit at the king's table continually. David and Jonathan had made a league together as to their seed. &nbsp;1 Samuel 20:15,42 . David fully respected this and far exceeded it, for it was true grace in him to bring Mephibosheth to sit at his table. </p> <p> When [[Absalom]] revolted, Ziba brought presents to David, and slandered Mephibosheth, saying that he sought the kingdom. David thereupon gave to Ziba all the possessions of Mephibosheth; but on hearing subsequently Mephibosheth's explanations, David divided the inheritance between them. His doing this, and the way he answered Mephibosheth, "Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land," makes it doubtful whether David was quite convinced of Mephibosheth's innocence. While the king was away Mephibosheth had not dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes; and when David decided that the land should be divided, he said, "Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace." When Saul's descendants were required for a recompense to the Gibeonites David spared Mephibosheth for Jonathan's sake, nor was he mentioned when the king died. &nbsp;2 Samuel 4:4; &nbsp;2 Samuel 9:3-13; &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:1-4; &nbsp;2 Samuel 19:24-30; &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:7 . In &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:34; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 9:40 he is called [[Merib-Baal]] 'Baal contendeth.' </p> <p> 2. Son of Saul and Rizpah: he and his brother [[Armoni]] were among the seven given up to death, on account of the famine that God brought upon the land because Saul's sin against the Gibeonites had not been atoned for. Rizpah protected the bodies by day and by night, until David caused their remains to be buried with those of Saul and Jonathan. &nbsp; 2 Samuel 21:8-14 . </p>

<li> The son of Jonathan, and grandson of Saul (&nbsp;2 Samuel 4:4 ). He was but five years old when his father and grandfather fell on Mount Gilboa. The child's nurse hearing of this calamity, fled with him from Gibeah, the royal residence, and stumbling in her haste, the child was thrown to the ground and maimed in both his feet, and ever after was unable to walk (19:26). He was carried to the land of Gilead, where he found a refuge in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar, by whom he was brought up. <p> Some years after this, when David had subdued all the adversaries of Israel, he began to think of the family of Jonathan, and discovered that Mephibosheth was residing in the house of Machir. [[Thither]] he sent royal messengers, and brought him and his infant son to Jerusalem, where he ever afterwards resided (&nbsp;2 Samuel 9 ). </p> <p> When David was a fugitive, according to the story of Ziba (&nbsp;2 Samuel 16:1-4 ) Mephibosheth proved unfaithful to him, and was consequently deprived of half of his estates; but according to his own story, however (19:24-30), he had remained loyal to his friend. After this incident he is only mentioned as having been protected by David against the vengeance the Gibeonites were permitted to execute on the house of Saul (21:7). He is also called Merib-baal (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:34; &nbsp;9:40 ). (See Ziba .) </p> <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton [[M.A., DD]]  Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Mephibosheth'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/m/mephibosheth.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> [[Mephibosheth]] ( ''Me-Phĭb'O-Shĕth'' ), ''End Of Shame'' or ''Abasement.'' 1. The son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, &nbsp;2 Samuel 4:4; also called "Meribbaal"= ''Contender Against Baal.'' &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:34; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 9:40. He was only about five years of age when his father was slain, and on the news of this catastrophe the nurse who had charge of him, apprehending that the whole house of Saul would be exterminated, fled away with him; but in her flight stumbled with the child, and lamed him for life. David made provision for Mephibosheth and his family. &nbsp;2 Samuel 9:9-13; &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:1-4; &nbsp;2 Samuel 19:24-30. 2. A son of Saul by his concubine Rizpah. &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:8. </p>