”Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “My Lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame. And he has slandered your servant to my Lord the king, but my Lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. For all my father’s house were but dead men before my Lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king?” So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’ ” Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my Lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”“ II Samuel 19:24-30 NKJV
a. Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king: Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the last surviving heir to the dynasty of Saul. 2 Samuel 9 told how David showed unique kindness to Mephibosheth. 2 Samuel 16:1-4 described how Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met David with supplies as he left Jerusalem. Ziba said that Mephibosheth had abandoned David and hoped to gain from the conflict between David and Absalom.
b. My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: Mephibosheth explained why he did not join David, and how Ziba slandered him before David.
c. You set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king? Though Mephibosheth was slandered before David, Mephibosheth didn’t defend himself or demand a hearing before David. He knew David had already given him more than he deserved, so if David were to now take it all away he would still be ahead.
d. You and Ziba divide the land: When Ziba told David that Mephibosheth had abandoned him, David granted Ziba all of Mephibosheth’s land and property (2 Samuel 16:4). Hearing the whole story, David didn’t go back on his promise to Ziba even though it was based on fraudulent claims. Yet he did lessen Ziba’s reward by offering a split between Ziba and Mephibosheth of all the property from Saul’s house.
e. Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house: Mephibosheth was content to let Ziba have all the property if he could only know that David reigned. David’s reign was more important to him than his personal enrichment. (Guzik)
i. “For his own enrichment this man cared nothing at all. It was everything to him that his king should come into the possession of his kingdom in peace…. It is to be feared that too often we are more concerned about our rights than about His. It is a great and glorious thing when our loyalty and love make us far more concerned about the victories of our Lord, than about our own unquestioned rights. Yet that should be the normal attitude of all who sit at the King’s Table.” (Morgan)
The Kings Table!
I’m reminded of a verse and the marriage supper of the Lamb at the Kings table!
”On this mountain the Lord of Hosts will prepare a banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.“ Isaiah 25:6 BSB
“Jesus is really looking forward to this banquet. He said to His disciples at the Last Supper, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom (Matthew 26:29). In this, Jesus spoke of His longing expectation for the day when He would take communion with His people at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Jesus is excited about this event; are you?” (Guzik)
Blessings
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