your entertainer nssuros you thf\t everything his estates, paying, aa is ulfl!al in the Ee.at, he he.a to hie le.et dirhem is yonrs, he a fixed proportion of the value of the pro- nevertheless expeote you to pay twice the duce to his master. Ziba had 11fteen sona value for everything you consume ; hut he an~ twenty. servant■ (slaves). He had makes hie exe.otion plooarmt by bis extreme evidently thnven; for, be!!inning ae a ala.vo 0 coW'tlineee. Bo Ephron offered hie cave at in Saul's hou,ehold, ho had now seven! Mochpelah to Abroham os o. free gift, but he wives and many alavee of his own, nnd had took care to obto.in for it an exorbitant become o. person of considerable importance. price (Gen. xxiii. 11, 15). Mephibosheth He would still remain eo, though somewhat described himself in terms similar to those shorn both of wealth and dignity in becom- used by Do.vid of himself to Sa.ul (l Sam. ing only Mephibosh~th's farmer. xxiv. H); but he meant no more than to Ver. ll.-As for Mephiboaheth, aairl the express great gratitude, o.nd o.lao to o.cknow- king, he, etc. These words are difficult, ledge the dispe.rity of rank between him because they make David say the same and the king, thing thrice. The text is probably corrupt Ver. 9.-Thy master's son. Strictly Me- as it requires the insertion of some sue~ phibosheth woe Sa.ul's grandson, but words phrase aa the " said the king" of the of relationship are used in a. very genera.I Authorized Version to make it intelligible. wo.y in Hebrew, Of the many emendations proposed, the moat Ver. 10.-Tha.t thy master's son may have probable is that of the LXX. oud Syriac, food to ea.t, Instead of "son," Hebrew which make this clause an observation of ben, some commenta.tore prefer the reading the historian pointing out the high honour of a. few Greek versions, namely, "house," done to Mephibosheth in placing him on an Hebrew, beth. But the difficulty which equality with David's own sons. It woul,l they seek to avoid a.rises only from extreme then run as follows : So Mephibosheth ai;3 literalness of interpretation. Though Me- at the king' a table as one of the king' a sons. phibosheth ate at the king's table, he would Ver. 12.-Miche.. This eou of Mephibo- he.ve a. household to ma.into.in-for he had eheth beca.me the representative of the a wife and son-a.nd other expenses ; and ho11Se of Saul, a.nd had a numerous off- his having "food to ea.t" includes every- spring, who were leading men in the tribe of thing necessa.ry, as does our prayer for Benjamin until the Captivity (see 1 Chron. "daily bread." He would live at Jerusalem viii. 35-40 ; iL 40-44). as a noblema.n and Ziba would cultivate
HOMILETICS. Vcrs. 1-13.-The facts are: 1. David, remembering his love for Jonathan, inquires whether there were any survivors of the house of Saul; and being informed of the proximity of Ziba, an old servant, he sends for him. 2. He is told that a son of .Jonathan, lame of foot, is a sojourner in the house of Machir. 3. Being sent for, Mephibosheth, on appearing before·the king, falls on his face and pays reverence, but is spoken to kindly. 4. Being assW'ed by David that there was no need for fear, that kindness for his father's sake was in store, and that all his grandfather's property should be restored, he expresses by deed and word his sense of unworthiness. 5. David informs Ziba of his decision as to the property, and orders him to act as steward for the benefit of Mephibosheth, who was to be henceforth a guest at the royal table. 6. The arrangements are carried out, and so is explained th11 fact of Mephibosbeth's residence in Jerusalem.
The JJO'Wt'l' of hallowed associations. ScriptW'e, in common with all history, usually gives us the outward facts of life, leaving to be inferred the private mental and moral processes which must have lain in their rear. 'l'here is an abruptness in the transition of the historian from an account of David's victories and general administr.ition to this record of an act of personal kindness. But if the laws of the human mind were the same then as now, we may be sure there was no such disconnection in the inner course of David's experience. During the few years of public activity in seeking the consoli- dation of his power, covered by the preceding chapters, there had often risen up in his mind memories of former days of trial, and of names of friends and foes now no longer among the living; and if thought breeds emotion, he would, on these occasions, experience feelings corresponding to the subject-matter of his thoughts. Among these thoughts, with •.hflir corresponding feelings, were doubtless those rel!lting to his beloved U, B.\MUE~. ~ THE SEOOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [OH, IX, 1-13,