David, fir fonathan's ſake. fendeth for his Son Mephiboſheth, t, 6. Entertaintth him at his Table : Ana-reſtoreth him all that was Saul's ; Appointeth Ziba to be his Servant, 7, —>—— 13,
N D David ſaid a, Ls there yet any that is left
: of the houſe of Saul b, that I may ſhew him
kindneſs for Jonathans ſake 2 a David's Wars being ended, he ſets: himſelf to the Adminiſtra-
tion of Jultice to all lis People, Chap: 8:15. And amongſt others
he minds his juſt debr and obligation to Jonathan and his Family-
b He laith not of the Houſe of Jonathan, for he knew nor of any Son
which he had Icfr and therefore thought his kindneſs and obli-
gation Was to Pals to the next of his Kindred. As ſor Mephib:ſbeth, he was yery young and obſcure, and poflibly concealed by his
Friends, left David ſhould cut him off trom Jealouſie of State, as
hath been uſual among Princes in like caſe, and therefore was un-
known to David, as well hemighr be, eſpecially when David's head and hands were full of War with divers and Potent Enemies, as they had hitherto been, |
2 And there was of the houſe of Saul a ſervant c
whoſe name was * Ziba : and when they had called
6, Pp him unto David, the King faid unto him, Arr thou
lg. 29,
Y Chap. 4 4.
Ziba 2 And he ſaid, Thy ſervant is he.
c One who had been a Servant, and, as it may ſeem, a Steward to Saul, Sce below, wv, 10.
3 And the king ſaid, Is there not yet any of the houſe of Saul, that I may ſhew the kindneſs of God 4 unto him 7 And Ziba ſaid unto the king, Jonathan hath yeta fon, which is * lame on his feer.
d Eicher, Firſt, That kindneſs which Lowe him for God's ſake, and by vertue of my Oath given to him abour ir, 1 Sam: 20:14, 15+ Bur that Oath icems only to oblige him to Jonathan's Poſterity, and not to any other of Saui's Houte. Or, Secondiy, Greatand eminent kindneſs. }. :
4 And the king ſaid unto him, Where is he ? And Ziba ſaid unto the king, Behold, he 5s in the houſe of Machir, the ſon of Ammicl, in Lodebar e.
e Ina place beyond Jordan, Chap: 17: 27: where his Friends thought bac might be kept our of David's fight,
S 4M URKE
C 5 Then king David ſent, and fet him out of che houſe of Machir the ſon of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
6 Now when Mephiboſheth the ſon of Jonathan, the ſon of Sau], was come unto David, he fe!l on his face, and did reverence : And Devid ſaid, Mephibo- ſheth. And he anſwered, Behold thy ſervant.
7 © And David ſaid unto him, Fear not ; for I will
ſurely ſhew thee kindneſs for Jonathan thy fathers ſake, and will reſtore thee all the land of Saul thy father f, and thoa ſhalt eat bread at my table con- tinually. - f Whichare now ſeized and poſſefſed by David, as due to him, either, in right of his Wife, to whomrhe Inheritance was devolved, Saul's Sons by his Wives being all dead. See Numb. 27.8. or, by Divine Donation, as belonging to the Crown which God had now given him : or, by forfeiture, becauſe of 1bboſbeth's Rebellion againft his Lord and King.
8 And he bowed himſelf, and faid, What zs thy (eryant, that thou ſhouldeft look upon fuch a * dead dog as lamg? -
Z So contemptible in my Perſon and Condition.
9 T Then the king called ro Ziba Sauls ſervant, ind ſaid unto him, * I have given unto thy maſters {on all that pertained to Saul, anc co all his houſe.
10 Thou therefore, 'and chy ſons, and thy ſervants ihall cill the land for him, and thou ſhalt bring in che fruits, that thy maſters ſon may have food to eat þ : but Mephiboſheth thy maſters ſon ſhall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifreen ſons, and twenty
{ervants 5.
h i; e. That he may have wherewith to buy Food for alt his Fa- mily, and all manner of Proviſions ( which oft come under the title of Food and Bread ) neceflary for himſelf and them. 7 For it is probable he had been the chief Steward to manage Saul's Lands :. whereby he had great opportunities to inrich himſelf, which alſo he was very intent and reſolved upon, either dire&ly, or indirealy,. as the following Hiſtory othim ſhews ; and therefore it is not ſtrange chat he was fo rich. .
11 Then faid Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his ſervant, fo ſhall thy ſervant do. As for Mephiboſheth, ſaid the king, he ſhall eat at my table, as one of the kings ſons k.
k Theſe are the words. Either, Firſt, Of David ; the words, ſaid he, or ſaid the King, being ſupplied out of the former and fol- lowing Verſes: Or, Secondly, Of Z:bs, being thus rendred and underitood, 4!ſo Mephibeſheth if the King ſo pleaſe, ſhall eat ar my table, and ſhall be treated there according to his Quality, as one of thy Sons, as thou deſireſt : for the Eftate will ſuffice for that alſo.
12 And Mephiboſhech had a young ſon 1, whoſe name was Micha m: and all that dwelt in the houſe of Ziba were ſervants unto Mephiboſheth.
I Either, Firſt, Before he was diſcovered and brought to the King ; and then David ſeems guilty of a great error in forgetting his dear Jonathan fo long ; although his long and continued Wars both Civil and Foreign, might afford him ſome excuſe, as filling his mind and time with bulinets of another nature, Or, - Secondly, After that time : for there 1s nothing here which determines when this Son was Born: »» Who alfo had other Children and Grand- Children, to keep up the name and memory of worthy and famous Jmathan, See 1 Chron. 8. 34, 35- andg. 49, 41. :
13 So Mephiboſjherh dwelt in Jeruſalem : for he did
eat continually at the kings table ; and was lame on
both his feet. CHAP X
David ſendeth M-fſengers td comfort the King of the Ammonites ; He abuſeth them 1 —— 5. The Ammonlres and Syrians prepare to fight againſt the Iſraelites : And are overcome by Joab and Abiſhai, 6, I4. They renewing their Forces, are again Conquered by David, 15, —=19.
A N D itcame to pals after this, that the * king of
the children of Ammon &« died, and Hanun his ſon reigned in his ſtead.
4 Nohajb, v. 2. probably the ſame whoſe Army Saul defeated and deſtroyed, 1 Sam. 11. who out of enmity to Saul ſkewed kind- neſs to David, as it follows; hoping alſo by fomenting the diffe- rences between Saul and David, to make way for his future Con- queſts. : : | res
2 Then ſaid David, I will ſhew kindneſs unto Hanun the ſon of Nahaſh 5, as his tather ſhewed kindneſs unto me c. And David ſent to comfort bim by the hand of his ſervants, for + his father : and David's
Ammon. b Therefore there had hitherto been Peace and Friendſhip be+