Day 52: 2 Samuel 9:1–8

David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from Saul’s family I can show kindness to because of Jonathan?” (v. 1).

David had conquered kingdoms and subdued enemies. He had servants at his beck and call. All was momentarily quiet and peaceful—but he missed his best friend. God had fulfilled Jonathan’s wish and given David everything, but Jonathan wasn’t there to share it with him.

So David sought the next best thing. Ziba, a servant of the house of Saul, told him about Jonathan’s one remaining son named Mephibosheth.

The Bible first mentions Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 4. The boy was still a small child when news came of Saul and Jonathan’s death. The nurse dropped Mephibosheth, resulting in his being crippled in both feet. Physical deformity was a great source of shame in the ancient world. Ziba might have suspected the son’s handicap to disqualify him from anything the king sought.

If so, David surprised the servant.

David immediately commanded that Mephibosheth be brought to the court. Picturing the scene brings me to tears. Imagine the king sitting on the throne, surrounded by splendor. His brightly adorned servants open the door, and before him stands a crippled man. The Word says, “When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor” (v. 6). With crippled legs he crept before the king, then he bowed before him! Can you imagine the difficulty for a handicapped man to get down on his knees, press his forehead to the floor, as was the custom, then rise up? Mephibosheth was obviously humbled. “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (v. 8).

How amazed Mephibosheth must have been. Possibly he feared that David had summoned him for punishment. Remember that his uncle Ish-Bosheth had been at war with David. Whatever he hoped or feared, he probably had no idea what he was about to receive.

David was just seeking someone to bless and love.