The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 235

EXPOSITION. of the Orients.le saw in everything that waa CHAPTER IX. more than common a manifestation of God, Ver. 1.-11 there yet auy that is left of and thus the epithet "of God" ea.me to be the home of Baul 1 As Mephibosheth was applied to anything that was very great five vears old at his father's death (eh. iv. 0 (comp. Gen. xxL 8, margin; xxxv. 5; 4 ), b ut now had a son (ver. 12). a suffloient Ps. !xv. 9; Jonah iii. 8, margin). David time must have elapsed for him to grow up would show Saul's seed kindness as wonder- and marry ; so that probably the events of ful as are God's dee.lings with man. this che.pter oocurrcd seventeen or eighteen Ver. 4.-Machir, the son of Ammiel, in years after the battle of Gilboa.. As David Lo-debar. Of Lo-debar nothing is known, was king at Hebron for seven years and but it must have been east of the Jordan, a he.If, he had been king now of all Israel near Mahanaim. Of Ammiel we read again for about nine years. But during this long in eh. xvii. 27, where we find that he WWI period he had been engaged in a weary a man of wealth, who helped to supply the struggle, which had left him little repose, wa.nta of David and his men during the and during which it might have been rebellion of Abse.lom. Possibly this kind- dangerou;; to draw the house of Saul out of ness of David towards one for whom he had obscurity. But he was at last firmly este.b- feelings of loyalty, as representing a royal li~hed on the throne, and had peace a.JI house to whioh he had remained faithful, a.round ; and the time was come to act upon won his heart. There WB.S e. magnanimity the promise me.de to Jona.than (1 Sam. x.x. about it which would commend it to e. man 14, 15), and which we may be sure David who was himself generous and true. had never forgotten. Ver. 6.-He fell on his fe.oe. Mephi- 'Ver. 2.-.6. Bel'VBDt whose name was Ziba. bosheth probably llXpected the fe.te which It is evident from this that David was not in the East usue.Jly befalls the members certain that Jonathan had left behind him a of a dethroned dynasty. Subsequently in son; but not because of the change of name Israel ea.eh new line of usurpers put to from Meribbeal (l Cbron. viii. 34); for Baal death every male relative of its predecessor, retained its innocent meaning of "lord" 1 and it was with difficulty in Judah that until the time of Jezebel. It then became one be.be was rescued from the hands of the title of the Phamici&n sun-god; e.nrl its own grandmother, Athe.Jie.h, when she Jezebel's shameless worship of this deity, and usurped the throne. Looked at, then, in the her cruelty to Jehove.h's prophets, made the light of Oriental policy, David's conduot people henceforth change the name Bae.I into was most generous. Bosheth, "the shameful thing" (see note on Ver. 7.-All the land of Baul thy father. eh. ii. 8). Mephibosheth had not changed David probably restored to Mephibosheth his name, but had lived in obscurity in the not only the le.ode at Gibee.h, which Ziba wild region beyond Mehe.ne.im. Meanwhile had managed to bold, but Saul's estates Ziba had probably ta.ken ea.re of Saul's generally. There seems, nevertheless, to property in the tribe of Benjamin. There have been on Ziba's part e. grudge against is no reason to doubt that he had been Mephibosheth for thus getting back from steward there for Se.nl, and after his master's the king what he had hoped to keep as his death h.e.d continued in poest,ssion of the own. The privilege of being the king's estate. David, we may feel sure, would friend, and eating at his table, we.a an not interfere with it, llild Zibe. would hold honour that would be more highly prized it for Saul's heirs, who could not themselvei, than even the possession of the estates. take posseeeion. To him David now sends, Ver. 8.-.6. dead dog. At first sight this not b<oce.W!8 he expected to hee.r of e. son of extreme selt~bumilie.tion m.e.kes us look on his dear friend Jone.than, but because he Mepbibosheth as a poor creature, whom wB.S ready to show kindness to any repre- early misfortune and personal deformity had sentative of the fallen monarch. combined to depress. But really this is to Ver. 3.-The kindn- of God. That is, impose on an Oriental hyperbole a Westem eure.ord:ne.ry kindnet1s. The devout mind euctae1, Qf mee.nia_g. When in the Ee.s\ OH, IX, 1-13,] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 241