2 Samuel 9: Kindness for Jonathan's Sake
Remembering his covenant with Jonathan, David seeks out the crippled Mephibosheth and restores his land, giving him a permanent place at the king's table.
2 Samuel 9 (WEB)
1 David said, “Is there yet any who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
2 There was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “Your servant is he.”
3 The king said, “Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet.”
4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”
5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.
6 Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth.” He answered, “Behold, your servant!”
7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid of him; 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. You shall eat bread at my table continually.”
8 He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?”
9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master’s son.
10 You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread always at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your shall servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table, like one of the king’s sons.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.
13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.
2 Samuel 9 (KJV)
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 Lo–debar.
5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo–debar.
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.
2 Samuel 9 (ASV)
1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?
2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him unto David; and 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 show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, who is lame of 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 Lo-debar.
5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
6 And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came unto David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold, thy servant!
7 And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show 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 did obeisance, 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, All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given unto thy master’s son.
10 And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have bread 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 commandeth 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 Mica. 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 he was lame in both his feet.
Summary
Secure on his throne, David asks whether anyone is left of the house of Saul to whom he can show kindness for Jonathan's sake. A former servant named Ziba reveals that Jonathan has a surviving son, Mephibosheth, who is lame in both feet and living in obscurity at Lo Debar. David sends for him, and Mephibosheth comes trembling, falling on his face—for in that day a new king typically destroyed the previous dynasty. But David speaks words of grace: "Don't be afraid." He promises to show kindness for Jonathan's sake, to restore all of Saul's land, and to seat Mephibosheth at the king's table continually. Overwhelmed, Mephibosheth calls himself a dead dog, unable to grasp such favor. David appoints Ziba and his household to work the restored land for Mephibosheth, while Mephibosheth himself eats at the king's table like one of the king's own sons. The chapter ends underscoring his lameness even as he dwells in Jerusalem and dines with royalty. This tender story is a vivid picture of covenant love and grace: David seeks out the helpless, undeserving heir of a fallen house and brings him near, a portrait that echoes the gospel—God seeking out the lame and the lost to seat them at his table for the sake of another, his own beloved Son.
Main Characters
- David — The king who, for Jonathan's sake, seeks out the last of Saul's house to show kindness, restoring land and granting a place at his table.
- Mephibosheth — Jonathan's lame son, hidden in Lo Debar, who is sought out and shown undeserved favor by David.
- Ziba — A servant of Saul's house who reveals Mephibosheth's whereabouts and is appointed to farm the restored land.
- Jonathan — David's covenant friend, now dead, for whose sake all this kindness is shown to his son.
Key Verse
2 Samuel 9:7 (WEB)
David said to him, “Don’t be afraid of him; 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. You shall eat bread at my table continually.”
Lessons Learned
- Covenant love seeks out the lowly and brings them near rather than leaving them in obscurity.
- Grace is shown not because the recipient deserves it, but for the sake of another.
- God's kindness welcomes the broken and helpless to his table as honored family.
- Faithfulness to our promises may bless people long after the one to whom we made them is gone.
- Grace seeks out its object. David asks, “Is there yet any… that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1, WEB); love takes the initiative to find the lost.
- Grace replaces fear with welcome. David says, “Don’t be afraid… I will surely show you kindness” (2 Samuel 9:7, WEB), calming the trembling heir.
- Kindness is for the sake of another. All is done “for Jonathan your father’s sake” (2 Samuel 9:7, WEB); the gospel likewise welcomes us for the sake of Christ.
- Grace brings the lowly to the table. Mephibosheth “ate at the king’s table, like one of the king’s sons” (2 Samuel 9:11, WEB), the unworthy made family.
- Why does David go looking for someone from the house of Saul to bless?
- Why is Mephibosheth afraid when he is brought before David?
- What does David give to Mephibosheth, and on whose account?
- How does this story picture the grace of the gospel toward us?
- Whom might God be calling you to seek out and show unexpected kindness, and what would that look like?
- David asks because of his covenant with Jonathan (9:1). His kindness is not driven by political calculation but by faithful love that remembers a promise to a friend now dead.
- As the heir of a deposed dynasty, Mephibosheth expects to be killed (9:6-8). His trembling shows how astonishing David's grace is, calling himself a “dead dog” unworthy of notice.
- David restores all of Saul's land and seats Mephibosheth at the royal table continually, all “for Jonathan’s sake” (9:7). The favor rests entirely on another, not on Mephibosheth's merit.
- Like Mephibosheth, we are spiritually lame and undeserving, yet sought out and welcomed to the King's table for the sake of another—God's own Son. The story is a beautiful preview of grace.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to think of someone overlooked or fearful whom they could pursue with kindness, reflecting the seeking grace David showed and that God shows us.