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Selected Verse: 2 Samuel 9:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
2Sa 9:1	Strong Concordance	And David [01732] said [0559], Is there yet [03426] any that is left [03498] of the house [01004] of Saul [07586], that I may shew [06213] him kindness [02617] for Jonathan's [03083] sake?
	King James	And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
DAVID SENDS FOR MEPHIBOSHETH. (Sa2 9:1-12) David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul--On inquiry, Saul's land steward was found, who gave information that there still survived Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan who was five years old at his father's death, and whom David, then wandering in exile, had never seen. His lameness (Sa2 4:4) had prevented him from taking any part in the public contests of the time. Besides, according to Oriental notions, the younger son of a crowned monarch has a preferable claim to the succession over the son of a mere heir-apparent; and hence his name was never heard of as the rival of his uncle Ish-bosheth. His insignificance had led to his being lost sight of, and it was only through Ziba that David learned of his existence, and the retired life he passed with one of the great families in trans-jordanic Canaan who remained attached to the fallen dynasty. Mephibosheth was invited to court, and a place at the royal table on public days was assigned him, as is still the custom with Eastern monarchs. Saul's family estate, which had fallen to David in right of his wife (Num 27:8), or been forfeited to the crown by Ish-bosheth's rebellion (Sa2 12:8), was provided (Sa2 9:11; also Sa2 19:28), for enabling Mephibosheth to maintain an establishment suitable to his rank, and Ziba appointed steward to manage it, on the condition of receiving one-half of the produce in remuneration for his labor and expense, while the other moiety was to be paid as rent to the owner of the land (Sa2 19:29).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

DAVID SENDS FOR MEPHIBOSHETH. (Sa2 9:1-12)

David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul--On inquiry, Saul's land steward was found, who gave information that there still survived Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan who was five years old at his father's death, and whom David, then wandering in exile, had never seen. His lameness (Sa2 4:4) had prevented him from taking any part in the public contests of the time. Besides, according to Oriental notions, the younger son of a crowned monarch has a preferable claim to the succession over the son of a mere heir-apparent; and hence his name was never heard of as the rival of his uncle Ish-bosheth. His insignificance had led to his being lost sight of, and it was only through Ziba that David learned of his existence, and the retired life he passed with one of the great families in trans-jordanic Canaan who remained attached to the fallen dynasty. Mephibosheth was invited to court, and a place at the royal table on public days was assigned him, as is still the custom with Eastern monarchs. Saul's family estate, which had fallen to David in right of his wife (Num 27:8), or been forfeited to the crown by Ish-bosheth's rebellion (Sa2 12:8), was provided (Sa2 9:11; also Sa2 19:28), for enabling Mephibosheth to maintain an establishment suitable to his rank, and Ziba appointed steward to manage it, on the condition of receiving one-half of the produce in remuneration for his labor and expense, while the other moiety was to be paid as rent to the owner of the land (Sa2 19:29).

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
kindness A lovely picture of salvation by grace. (1) What grace is -- kindness to a helpless one for another's sake, (Sa2 1:1-3); (Jo1 2:12). (2) Grace gives the highest place, (Sa2 1:11). (Eph 1:1-6). (3) Grace keeps the saved one, (Sa2 1:13); (Joh 10:28); (Joh 10:29).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Sa2 9:1-4 When David inquired whether there was any one left of the house of Saul to whom he could show favour for Jonathan's sake (ישׁ־עוד הכי: is it so that there is any one? = there is certainly some one left), a servant of Saul named Ziba was summoned, who told the king that there was a son of Jonathan living in the house of Machir at Lodebar, and that he was lame in his feet. אישׁ עוד האפס, "is there no one at all besides?" The ל before בּית is a roundabout way of expressing the genitive, as in Sa1 16:18, etc., and is obviously not to be altered into מבּית, as Thenius proposes. "The kindness of God" is love and kindness shown in God, and for God's sake (Luk 6:36). Machir the son of Ammiel was a rich man, judging from Sa2 17:27, who, after the death of Saul and Jonathan, had received the lame son of the latter into his house. Lodebar (לודבר, written לאדבר in Sa2 17:27, but erroneously divided by the Masoretes into two words in both passages) was a town on the east of Mahanaim, towards Rabbath Amman, probably the same place as Lidbir (Jos 13:26); but it is not further known. Sa2 9:5-7 David sent for this son of Jonathan (Mephibosheth: cf. Sa2 4:4), and not only restored his father's possessions in land, but took him to his own royal table for the rest of his life. "Fear not," said David to Mephibosheth, when he came before him with the deepest obeisance, to take away any anxiety lest the king should intend to slay the descendants of the fallen king, according to the custom of eastern usurpers. It is evident from the words, "I will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father," that the landed property belonging to Saul had either fallen to David as crown lands, or had been taken possession of by distant relations after the death of Saul. "Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually," i.e., eat at my table all thy life long, or receive thy food from my table. Sa2 9:8 Mephibosheth expressed his thanks for this manifestation of favour with the deepest obeisance, and a confession of his unworthiness of any such favour. On his comparison of himself to a "dead dog," see at Sa1 24:15.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Of Saul - He saith not of the house of Jonathan, for he knew not of any son he had left, and therefore thought his kindness and obligation was to pass to the next of his kindred. As for Mephibosheth, he was very young and obscure, and possibly concealed by his friends, lest David should cut him off, as hath been usual among princes.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Is there yet any that is left - David recollecting the covenant made with his friend Jonathan, now inquires after his family. It is supposed that political considerations prevented him from doing this sooner. Reasons of state often destroy all the charities of life.

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²⁹ And the king [04428] said [0559] unto him, Why speakest [01696] thou any more of thy matters [01697]? I have said [0559], Thou and Ziba [06717] divide [02505] the land [07704].

²⁸ For all of my father's [01] house [01004] were but [03808] dead [04194] men [0582] before my lord [0113] the king [04428]: yet didst thou set [07896] thy servant [05650] among them that did eat [0398] at thine own table [07979]. What right [06666] therefore have [03426] I yet to cry [02199] any more unto the king [04428]?

¹¹ Then said [0559] Ziba [06717] unto the king [04428], According to all that my lord [0113] the king [04428] hath commanded [06680] his servant [05650], so shall thy servant [05650] do [06213]. As for Mephibosheth [04648], said the king, he shall eat [0398] at my table [07979], as one [0259] of the king's [04428] sons [01121].

⁸ And I gave [05414] thee thy master's [0113] house [01004], and thy master's [0113] wives [0802] into thy bosom [02436], and gave [05414] thee the house [01004] of Israel [03478] and of Judah [03063]; and if that had been too little [04592], I would moreover have given [03254] unto thee such [02007] and such things [02007].

⁸ And thou shalt speak [01696] unto the children [01121] of Israel [03478], saying [0559], If a man [0376] die [04191], and have no son [01121], then ye shall cause his inheritance [05159] to pass [05674] unto his daughter [01323].

⁴ And Jonathan [03083], Saul's [07586] son [01121], had a son [01121] that was lame [05223] of his feet [07272]. He was five [02568] years [08141] old [01121] when the tidings [08052] came [0935] of Saul [07586] and Jonathan [03083] out of Jezreel [03157], and his nurse [0539] took him up [05375], and fled [05127]: and it came to pass, as she made haste [02648] to flee [05127], that he fell [05307], and became lame [06452]. And his name [08034] was Mephibosheth [04648].

¹ And David [01732] said [0559], Is there yet [03426] any that is left [03498] of the house [01004] of Saul [07586], that I may shew [06213] him kindness [02617] for Jonathan's [03083] sake?
² And there was of the house [01004] of Saul [07586] a servant [05650] whose name [08034] was Ziba [06717]. And when they had called [07121] him unto David [01732], the king [04428] said [0559] unto him, Art thou Ziba [06717]? And he said [0559], Thy servant [05650] is he.
³ And the king [04428] said [0559], Is there not [0657] yet any [0376] of the house [01004] of Saul [07586], that I may shew [06213] the kindness [02617] of God [0430] unto him? And Ziba [06717] said [0559] unto the king [04428], Jonathan [03083] hath yet a son [01121], which is lame [05223] on his feet [07272].
⁴ And the king [04428] said [0559] unto him, Where [0375] is he? And Ziba [06717] said [0559] unto the king [04428], Behold, he is in the house [01004] of Machir [04353], the son [01121] of Ammiel [05988], in Lodebar [03810].
⁵ Then king [04428] David [01732] sent [07971], and fetched [03947] him out of the house [01004] of Machir [04353], the son [01121] of Ammiel [05988], from Lodebar [03810].
⁶ Now when Mephibosheth [04648], the son [01121] of Jonathan [03083], the son [01121] of Saul [07586], was come [0935] unto David [01732], he fell [05307] on his face [06440], and did reverence [07812]. And David [01732] said [0559], Mephibosheth [04648]. And he answered [0559], Behold thy servant [05650]!
⁷ And David [01732] said [0559] unto him, Fear [03372] not: for I will surely [06213] shew [06213] thee kindness [02617] for Jonathan [03083] thy father's [01] sake, and will restore [07725] thee all the land [07704] of Saul [07586] thy father [01]; and thou shalt eat [0398] bread [03899] at my table [07979] continually [08548].
⁸ And he bowed [07812] himself, and said [0559], What is thy servant [05650], that thou shouldest look [06437] upon such a dead [04191] dog [03611] as I am?
⁹ Then the king [04428] called [07121] to Ziba [06717], Saul's [07586] servant [05288], and said [0559] unto him, I have given [05414] unto thy master's [0113] son [01121] all that pertained [01961] to Saul [07586] and to all his house [01004].
¹⁰ Thou therefore, and thy sons [01121], and thy servants [05650], shall till [05647] the land [0127] for him, and thou shalt bring [0935] in the fruits, that thy master's [0113] son [01121] may have food [03899] to eat [0398]: but Mephibosheth [04648] thy master's [0113] son [01121] shall eat [0398] bread [03899] alway [08548] at my table [07979]. Now Ziba [06717] had fifteen [02568] [06240] sons [01121] and twenty [06242] servants [05650].
¹¹ Then said [0559] Ziba [06717] unto the king [04428], According to all that my lord [0113] the king [04428] hath commanded [06680] his servant [05650], so shall thy servant [05650] do [06213]. As for Mephibosheth [04648], said the king, he shall eat [0398] at my table [07979], as one [0259] of the king's [04428] sons [01121].
¹² And Mephibosheth [04648] had a young [06996] son [01121], whose name [08034] was Micha [04316]. And all that dwelt [04186] in the house [01004] of Ziba [06717] were servants [05650] unto Mephibosheth [04648].

²⁹ My [3450] Father [3962], which [3739] gave [1325] them me [3427], is [2076] greater than [3187] all [3956]; and [2532] no [3762] man is able [1410] to pluck [726] them out of [1537] my [3450] Father's [3962] hand [5495].

²⁸ And I [2504] give [1325] unto them [846] eternal [166] life [2222]; and [2532] they shall [622] never [3364] [1519] [165] perish [622], neither [2532] [3756] shall [726] any [5100] man pluck [726] them [846] out of [1537] my [3450] hand [5495].

¹³ And David [01732] said [0559] unto the young man [05288] that told [05046] him, Whence art thou? And he answered [0559], I am the son [01121] of a stranger [0376] [01616], an Amalekite [06003].

¹ Paul [3972], an apostle [652] of Jesus [2424] Christ [5547] by [1223] the will [2307] of God [2316], to the saints [40] which are [5607] at [1722] Ephesus [2181], and [2532] to the faithful [4103] in [1722] Christ [5547] Jesus [2424]:
² Grace [5485] be to you [5213], and [2532] peace [1515], from [575] God [2316] our [2257] Father [3962], and [2532] from the Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547].
³ Blessed [2128] be the God [2316] and [2532] Father [3962] of our [2257] Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], who [3588] hath blessed [2127] us [2248] with [1722] all [3956] spiritual [4152] blessings [2129] in [1722] heavenly [2032] places in [1722] Christ [5547]:
⁴ According as [2531] he hath chosen [1586] us [2248] in [1722] him [846] before [4253] the foundation [2602] of the world [2889], that we [2248] should be [1511] holy [40] and [2532] without blame [299] before [2714] him [846] in [1722] love [26]:
⁵ Having predestinated [4309] us [2248] unto [1519] the adoption of children [5206] by [1223] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547] to [1519] himself [846], according [2596] to the good pleasure [2107] of his [846] will [2307],
⁶ To [1519] the praise [1868] of the glory [1391] of his [846] grace [5485], wherein [1722] [3739] he hath made [5487] us [2248] accepted [5487] in [1722] the beloved [25].

¹¹ Then David [01732] took hold [02388] on his clothes [0899], and rent [07167] them; and likewise all the men [0582] that were with him:

¹² I write [1125] unto you [5213], little children [5040], because [3754] your sins [266] are forgiven [863] you [5213] for [1223] his [846] name's [3686] sake [1223].

¹ Now it came to pass after [0310] the death [04194] of Saul [07586], when David [01732] was returned [07725] from the slaughter [05221] of the Amalekites [06002], and David [01732] had abode [03427] two [08147] days [03117] in Ziklag [06860];
² It came even to pass on the third [07992] day [03117], that, behold, a man [0376] came [0935] out of the camp [04264] from Saul [07586] with his clothes [0899] rent [07167], and earth [0127] upon his head [07218]: and so it was, when he came [0935] to David [01732], that he fell [05307] to the earth [0776], and did obeisance [07812].
³ And David [01732] said [0559] unto him, From whence comest [0935] thou? And he said [0559] unto him, Out of the camp [04264] of Israel [03478] am I escaped [04422].

¹⁵ The LORD [03068] therefore be judge [01781], and judge [08199] between me and thee, and see [07200], and plead [07378] my cause [07379], and deliver [08199] me out of thine hand [03027].

⁸ And he bowed [07812] himself, and said [0559], What is thy servant [05650], that thou shouldest look [06437] upon such a dead [04191] dog [03611] as I am?

⁵ Then king [04428] David [01732] sent [07971], and fetched [03947] him out of the house [01004] of Machir [04353], the son [01121] of Ammiel [05988], from Lodebar [03810].
⁶ Now when Mephibosheth [04648], the son [01121] of Jonathan [03083], the son [01121] of Saul [07586], was come [0935] unto David [01732], he fell [05307] on his face [06440], and did reverence [07812]. And David [01732] said [0559], Mephibosheth [04648]. And he answered [0559], Behold thy servant [05650]!
⁷ And David [01732] said [0559] unto him, Fear [03372] not: for I will surely [06213] shew [06213] thee kindness [02617] for Jonathan [03083] thy father's [01] sake, and will restore [07725] thee all the land [07704] of Saul [07586] thy father [01]; and thou shalt eat [0398] bread [03899] at my table [07979] continually [08548].

²⁶ And from Heshbon [02809] unto Ramathmizpeh [07434], and Betonim [0993]; and from Mahanaim [04266] unto the border [01366] of Debir [01688];

²⁷ And it came to pass, when David [01732] was come [0935] to Mahanaim [04266], that Shobi [07629] the son [01121] of Nahash [05176] of Rabbah [07237] of the children [01121] of Ammon [05983], and Machir [04353] the son [01121] of Ammiel [05988] of Lodebar [03810], and Barzillai [01271] the Gileadite [01569] of Rogelim [07274],

³⁶ Be ye [1096] therefore [3767] merciful [3629], as [2531] your [5216] Father [3962] also [2532] is [2076] merciful [3629].

¹⁸ Then answered [06030] one [0259] of the servants [05288], and said [0559], Behold, I have seen [07200] a son [01121] of Jesse [03448] the Bethlehemite [01022], that is cunning [03045] in playing [05059], and a mighty [01368] valiant man [02428], and a man [0376] of war [04421], and prudent [0995] in matters [01697], and a comely [08389] person [0376], and the LORD [03068] is with him.