After David had conquered the enemies of Israel, 2 Samuel 8:14, and settled in as king over Israel, David asks is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake? 2 Samuel 9:1. Although David asks the question, no one is able to answer, but someone else tells him about Ziba, who was a close relative of Saul, 2 Samuel 9:2.
There was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba, and so he was summoned to appear before David, and when he did, David asked him, Are you Ziba? And Zeba replied, at your service, 2 Samuel 9:2.
David asks Zeba if there is anyone still alive from the house of Saul so he can show God’s kindness? And Ziba tells him about a son of Jonathon who was a five-year-old and lame in both feet, 2 Samuel 9:3 / 2 Samuel 4:4.
Ziba appears to be in full possession of all the properties of the former king, Saul, but as Machir had been caring for Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 9:4. It seems likely that Ziba had made himself quite wealthy in those intervening years after Saul’s death.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning 2 Samuel 9:4.
‘According to 1 Chronicles 3:5, Ammiel, called inversely Eliam, 2 Samuel 11:3, was the father of Bath-sheba. If this is the same Ammiel, Machir would be Bathsheba’s brother. However, the name is not a very uncommon one, Numbers 13:12 / 1 Chronicles 26:5.’
Lo Debar, 2 Samuel 9:4-5, was located in north-eastern Palestine east of the Jordan River and not far from Mahanaim, which was Ish-Bosheth’s capital. Ammiel is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:5 as the father of Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, and so Machir was Bathsheba’s brother, making him a brother-in-law of King David.
Mephibosheth’s 2 Samuel 9:6, real name was Meribbaal or Meribaal, 1 Chronicles 8:34 / 1 Chronicles 9:40. It’s clear that when Mephibosheth appeared in front of David, he was fearful for his life, as he bowed down, 2 Samuel 9:6. Understandably, he would be nervous about this meeting because it was common practice that any heir to the former king was to be killed.
This was an occasion when David remembered his covenant with Jonathan, 2 Samuel 9:7 / 1 Samuel 18:3 / 1 Samuel 20:1-4 / 1 Samuel 20:14-17, and so, looking for anyone who might be an heir of Jonathan through whom he could preserve Jonathan’s posterity. This shows us how David is a man of his word and a man of honour.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning 2 Samuel 9:7.
‘This was kindness, (the giving up the land was justice,) and it was the highest honour that any subject could enjoy, as we may see from the reference made to it by our Lord, Luke 22:30, That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. For such a person, David could do no more. His lameness rendered him unfit for any public employment.’
It appears that Makir was a very wealthy person because he loved Saul’s family, took Mephibosheth into his home, and cared for him, 2 Samuel 9:8. This tells us that Makir was a very faithful and generous person, and later helped David when Absalom rebelled against him, 2 Samuel 17:27-29.
Mephibosheth calls himself a dead dog, 2 Samuel 9:8, which was used as an exaggeration of the truth, 1 Samuel 24:14. He realises that he wasn’t called to David to be killed but to be rewarded so that Johnathon’s name may continue in Israel, 2 Samuel 9:9-10.
Because Mephibosheth was disabled on both feet, Ziba was asked to continue to look after Mephibosheth and bring the produce of the fields to Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 9:10.
In other words, everything which belonged to Jonathan was to be returned to Mephibosheth. Notice that Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants, 2 Samuel 9:10 / 2 Samuel 19:17. Mephibosheth is very humbled by all this; he knows he doesn’t deserve mercy, but he receives it.
Later, Mephibosheth’s descendants would become prominent leaders within the tribe of Benjamin, 1 Chronicles 8:35-40 / 1 Chronicles 9:40-44. Although Ziba appears to be sincere here, 2 Samuel 9:11, it wouldn’t be too long before he betrays David and rebels against him, 2 Samuel 16-20.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The promises of Ziba were fair and specious, but he was a traitor in his heart, as we shall see in the rebellion of Absalom, and David’s indulgence to this man is a blot in his character; at this time, however, he suspected no evil; circumstances alone can develop the human character. The internal villain can be known only when circumstances occur which can call his propensities into action; till then, he may be reputed an honest man.’
By this time, Mephibosheth had grown up, got married and had become the father of a young son named Mika, 2 Samuel 9:12 / 2 Samuel 9:4-5 / 1 Chronicles 8:34 / 1 Chronicles 9:40.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Mephibosheth was five years old at Saul’s death. He may have been thirteen at David’s accession to the throne of Israel. In the eighth year of David’s reign over all Israel, he would have been twenty-one. His having a son at this time indicates that we are about the 10th year of David’s reign.’
Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king’s table, and we are reminded that he was lame in both feet, 2 Samuel 9:13.