2Samuel 9:1 ¶ 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?
2Samuel 9:2 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.
2Samuel 9:3 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.
2Samuel 9:4 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.
One day David determined to find out if there were any descendants of the house of Saul that were still alive. He wanted to extend them his kindness in honor of his friendship with Jonathan and the covenant he had made with him.
1 Samuel 20:12–17 “And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee; The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father. And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.”
A servant from the house of Saul whose name was Ziba was identified and called before David. The king first asked Ziba to confirm his identity. When he did, emphasizing that he was a servant of David, the king asked him if there were any descendants of Saul still living because he wanted to extend his kindness to them. David wanted to show “the kindness of God,” the greatest kindness he possibly could, to this person.
Ziba told David that there was a son of Jonathan still living that was lame. David then asked Ziba where the man lived and was told that he lived in the house of Hachir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
Reminder: We learned in chapter 4 that Jonathan’s son was five years old when his father died and that he was injured in a fall that resulted in his lameness when his nurse rushed to get him to safety after hearing the news.
2Samuel 9:5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
2Samuel 9:6 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!
2Samuel 9:7 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.
2Samuel 9:8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
King David sent for Jonathan’s son whose name we now learn was Mephibosheth. When he came before David, he fell on his face to honor him. When David called his name, he answered by identifying himself as David’s servant. David knew he was afraid and told him that he had nothing to fear. In fact, he intended to be kind to him in honor of his father Jonathan. He intended to restore to him all the land that had belonged to Saul and have him eat at David’s table continually.
Mephibosheth didn’t understand why David would show him such kindness. I am sure he felt the shame of his infirmity. I am sure he was also well aware of his grandfather’s treatment of David.
2Samuel 9:9 ¶ 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.
2Samuel 9:10 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.
2Samuel 9:11 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.
David then recalled Ziba, Saul’s servant, and informed him that he had restored to Mephibosheth everything that had belonged to the house of Saul. Ziba, his sons and servants were commanded to till the land for Mephibosheth and bring him the harvest to supply for his food. Mephibosheth, however, was to always have a seat at the king’s table to eat with him.
We are told that Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. Ziba assured the king that he would do as he had been commanded.
David then repeated that Mephibosheth was always to eat with the king—not as a guest, but as one of the king’s sons.
2Samuel 9:12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
2Samuel 9:13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.
Now we learn that Mephibosheth had a young son named Micha. We are also told that Mephibosheth moved to Jerusalem so he could eat at the king’s table. I would assume that meant that his family lived with him in Jerusalem and that the harvest from his fields was used to feed his personal household.
It is emphasized that Mephibosheth was lame in both of his feet.
I loved Guzik’s application to the Christian:
“David's grace to Mephibosheth is a wonderful picture of God's grace to us. We are Mephibosheth.
We are hiding, poor, weak, lame, and fearful before our King comes to us.
We are separated from our King because of our wicked ancestors.
We are separated from our King because of our deliberate actions.
We separated ourselves from the King because we didn't know him or His love for us.
Our King sought us out before we sought Him.
The King's kindness is extended to us for the sake of another.
The King's kindness is based on covenant.
We must receive the King's kindness in humility.
The King returns to us what we lost in hiding from Him.
The King returns to us more than what we lost in hiding from Him.
We have the privilege of provision at the King's table.
We are received as sons at the King's table, with access to the King and fellowship with Him.
We receive servants from the King.
The King's honor does not immediately take away all our weakness and lameness, but it gives us a favor and standing that overcomes its sting and changes the way we think about ourselves.”
2Samuel 10:1 ¶ And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2Samuel 10:2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
2Samuel 10:3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
2Samuel 10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
One day David got word that the king of Ammon had died and Hanun his son had succeeded him to the throne. David wanted to show kindness to the son because the father had been kind to him. I would assume during the time that he was running from Saul.
David sent a delegation of some of his top men to Ammon to share David’s condolences for the death of the king. When the leaders of Ammon saw them, they poisoned Hanun’s thoughts toward the delegation. They basically made him believe that the intentions of David’s men were evil, to spy and gain information in preparation to overthrow the government and make the people subjects of Israel.
Hanun took hold of David’s servants and shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments so as to leave them exposed from the waist down and sent them away.
Wiersbe: “The phrase ‘show kindness’ can carry the meaning of ‘make a covenant,’ so it may have been David’s desire not only to comfort Hanun but also to make a treaty with him.”
2Samuel 10:5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to meet them and tell them to stay at Jericho until their beards had grown back. David didn’t want them to suffer any more shame than they already had.
The IVP OT Commentary offers this insight: “David’s messengers have half their beards shaved (symbolically emasculating them and by extension David) and ‘their garments [were cut] in the middle at their hips,’ leaving them naked like slaves or captives (see Is 20:4). These men were ambassadors and as such were entitled to both respect and diplomatic immunity. What may seem like a ‘prank' was in fact a direct challenge to David’s power and authority, and precipitated a war between the two nations.”
Adam Clarke adds this information: “The beard is held in high respect in the East: the possessor considers it his greatest ornament; often swears by it; and, in matters of great importance, pledges it. Nothing can be more secure than a pledge of this kind; its owner will redeem it at the hazard of his life. The beard was never cut off but in mourning, or as a sign of slavery.”
2Samuel 10:6 ¶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.
2Samuel 10:7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
In some way, the word got to Ammon that their actions had greatly offended David. Expecting him to attack, they immediately hired the Syrians to help them—20,000 footmen from Bethrehob and Zoba, 1,000 men from king Maacah and 12,000 men from Ishtob.
David heard that they were preparing for war, so he sent Joab in command of all his mighty men out to meet them in battle.
2Samuel 10:8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
2Samuel 10:9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
2Samuel 10:10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.
2Samuel 10:11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
The troops of Ammon gathered at the entrance of the gate to the kingdom, and the Syrians positioned themselves out in the fields. When Joab realized that he faced attack both ahead and behind, he chose his best men to go with him and face the Syrians. Because he chose the best of the mighty men, he must have considered the Syrians to be the stronger fighters. The rest of the men he put under his brother Abishai’s command to face the troops of Ammon. It was agreed that if either group needed help, the other would come to their rescue.
2Samuel 10:12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.
Before leading them into battle, Joab urged the men to be courageous and strong and remember that they were fighting for Israel and the cities of “our” God. He then called for the LORD’s will to be done. Joab didn’t just assume that the LORD would give them the victory. He was willing to lead his men into battle with their lives dependent upon the LORD’s will.
That’s pretty inspiring. I am sure that Joab thought their cause was just, but he still didn’t presume upon the LORD’s blessing. That is pretty much my mindset when I pray. I never doubt that God is able to answer my prayers or that my prayers are for the good. My only doubt is whether God has a higher purpose that would cause Him not to answer my prayers in accordance with what seems right to me.
2Samuel 10:13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
2Samuel 10:14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
As Joab and his troops went against the Syrians, they fled before him. When the troops of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they fled back into the city before the troops led by Abishai.
Joab then led all the troops of Israel back to Jerusalem.
2Samuel 10:15 ¶ And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
2Samuel 10:16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.
2Samuel 10:17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
2Samuel 10:18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
2Samuel 10:19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
When the Syrians realized that they had been defeated by the troops of Israel, they regathered; they weren’t ready to accept defeat. Hadarezer sent reinforcements under the command of Shobach, his chief military commander, to join them on the other side of the Euphrates River at Helam.
When David was informed of this, he gathered all the troops of Israel and led them across Jordan to Helam to meet them in battle. Once again the Syrians were put to rout before David and the troops of Israel. They killed 700 charioteers, 40,000 horsemen and Shobach, the captain of the Syrian host.
When the kings that were subject to Hadarezer learned what had happened, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. Ammon could no longer count on help from the Syrians who now feared Israel.