![\"\"](\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/king_david.jpg?w=235\")
<\/a><\/h2>\nIn the eighth chapter of Second Samuel<\/a>, we are told of David’s great military victories and the tribute brought to him by other kings.\u00a0David had clearly “made it”<\/em>: his Kingship was secure, Israel was safe and the Ark of the Covenant had been brought back\u00a0to Jerusalem where it belonged.<\/p>\nPersonally, I would have expected that it would be time for David to put up his feet and enjoy some of the benefits that came from being king. However, what follows in\u00a02 Samuel 9<\/a> is something rather different:<\/p>\n“David asked, ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’ \u00a0…Is there no one still left…to whom I can show God’s kindness?” – 2 Samuel 9:1, 3<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nWhat a reaction! Rather than simply indulging himself, David looks to use his wealth and power to bless others!<\/p>\n
Background: Biblical Homeboy<\/h2>\n
To understand the meaning behind David’s question, we must look a little further back in events recorded in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. The “Jonathan”<\/em><\/span> David referred to above, was son of the “Saul”<\/em><\/span> he mentions, the same Saul who was the former king of Israel (1 Samuel 10:24<\/a>). Because of Saul’s disobedience,\u00a0God rejected him as king (1 Samuel 15:23<\/a>), choosing the shepherd boy, David, to be his successor (1 Samuel 16:13<\/a>). \u00a0Despite Saul’s jealousy (1 Samuel 18<\/a>), Jonathan and David were\u00a0extremely close friends, even from their first meeting:<\/span><\/p>\n“Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself… And Jonathan made a covenant with David… Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt” – 1 Samuel 18:1-4<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
When Saul later planned to kill David, it was Jonathan who warned him and helped protect his life (1 Samuel 19:2<\/a>). \u00a0Several times David and Jonathan re-affirmed their love for each other through a covenant:<\/p>\n“Then Jonathan said to David ‘…show me unfailing kindness like the LORD\u2019s kindness as long as I live…and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family\u2014not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David\u2019s enemies from the face of the earth'” – 1 Samuel 20:12<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nDavid had even been so gracious as to make a similar oath to Saul:<\/p>\n
“[Saul]…wept aloud [to David]. ‘You are more righteous than I,’ he said. ‘You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly…May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today… Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father\u2019s family'”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nSo David gave his oath to Saul” – 1 Samuel 24:16-22<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nThen at the start of 2 Samuel<\/a> David receives the news that Saul and Jonathan have died at the hands of the Philistines in the battle\u00a0of Mount Gilboa. \u00a0We read David’s beautiful lament of his friend Jonathan and his enemy Saul:<\/p>\n“Saul and Jonathan – in life they were loved and gracious and in death they were not parted. \u00a0They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. <\/em>O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. <\/em>How the mighty have fallen in battle! \u00a0Jonathan lies slain on your heights. \u00a0I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. \u00a0Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.” – 2 Samuel 1:23-26<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nWhom can I bless?<\/h2>\n
So, with this as our background, we return to our original passage of Scripture:<\/p>\n
“David asked, ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’ \u00a0…Is there no one still left…to whom I can show God’s kindness?” – 2 Samuel 9:1, 3<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nZiba, the servant of Saul’s household, is brought before David and asked who is left of Saul’s family. \u00a0He replies that there is someone, a man by the name of Mephibosheth (pronounced “meh-FIHB-o-shehth”<\/a>, meaning “destroyer of the shameful one”<\/em>). Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, the grandson of David’s enemy, Saul. Mephibosheth is lame, and earlier in the book we read that this was as a result of an accident as a child:<\/p>\n“He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan[‘s death] came from Jazreel”. \u00a0His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. \u00a0His name was Mephibosheth” – 2 Samuel 4:4<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nZiba tells David that Mephibosheth is living in\u00a0Lo Debar<\/em> (literally “Place of no pasture”<\/em>), far beyond the River\u00a0Jordan. \u00a0Mephibosheth was almost certainly trying to keep below the radar of the king, the man whom his grandfather tried to kill.<\/p>\nEntering the courts of the King<\/h2>\n
David has Mephibosheth brought before him and then begins one of the most beautiful exchanges of the Old Testament:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/king_david.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h2>\nPersonally, I would have expected that it would be time for David to put up his feet and enjoy some of the benefits that came from being king. However, what follows in\u00a02 Samuel 9<\/a> is something rather different:<\/p>\n “David asked, ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’ \u00a0…Is there no one still left…to whom I can show God’s kindness?” – 2 Samuel 9:1, 3<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n What a reaction! Rather than simply indulging himself, David looks to use his wealth and power to bless others!<\/p>\n To understand the meaning behind David’s question, we must look a little further back in events recorded in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. The “Jonathan”<\/em><\/span> David referred to above, was son of the “Saul”<\/em><\/span> he mentions, the same Saul who was the former king of Israel (1 Samuel 10:24<\/a>). Because of Saul’s disobedience,\u00a0God rejected him as king (1 Samuel 15:23<\/a>), choosing the shepherd boy, David, to be his successor (1 Samuel 16:13<\/a>). \u00a0Despite Saul’s jealousy (1 Samuel 18<\/a>), Jonathan and David were\u00a0extremely close friends, even from their first meeting:<\/span><\/p>\n “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself… And Jonathan made a covenant with David… Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt” – 1 Samuel 18:1-4<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When Saul later planned to kill David, it was Jonathan who warned him and helped protect his life (1 Samuel 19:2<\/a>). \u00a0Several times David and Jonathan re-affirmed their love for each other through a covenant:<\/p>\n “Then Jonathan said to David ‘…show me unfailing kindness like the LORD\u2019s kindness as long as I live…and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family\u2014not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David\u2019s enemies from the face of the earth'” – 1 Samuel 20:12<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n David had even been so gracious as to make a similar oath to Saul:<\/p>\n “[Saul]…wept aloud [to David]. ‘You are more righteous than I,’ he said. ‘You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly…May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today… Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father\u2019s family'”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n So David gave his oath to Saul” – 1 Samuel 24:16-22<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Then at the start of 2 Samuel<\/a> David receives the news that Saul and Jonathan have died at the hands of the Philistines in the battle\u00a0of Mount Gilboa. \u00a0We read David’s beautiful lament of his friend Jonathan and his enemy Saul:<\/p>\n “Saul and Jonathan – in life they were loved and gracious and in death they were not parted. \u00a0They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. <\/em>O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. <\/em>How the mighty have fallen in battle! \u00a0Jonathan lies slain on your heights. \u00a0I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. \u00a0Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.” – 2 Samuel 1:23-26<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n So, with this as our background, we return to our original passage of Scripture:<\/p>\n “David asked, ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’ \u00a0…Is there no one still left…to whom I can show God’s kindness?” – 2 Samuel 9:1, 3<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Ziba, the servant of Saul’s household, is brought before David and asked who is left of Saul’s family. \u00a0He replies that there is someone, a man by the name of Mephibosheth (pronounced “meh-FIHB-o-shehth”<\/a>, meaning “destroyer of the shameful one”<\/em>). Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, the grandson of David’s enemy, Saul. Mephibosheth is lame, and earlier in the book we read that this was as a result of an accident as a child:<\/p>\n “He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan[‘s death] came from Jazreel”. \u00a0His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. \u00a0His name was Mephibosheth” – 2 Samuel 4:4<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Ziba tells David that Mephibosheth is living in\u00a0Lo Debar<\/em> (literally “Place of no pasture”<\/em>), far beyond the River\u00a0Jordan. \u00a0Mephibosheth was almost certainly trying to keep below the radar of the king, the man whom his grandfather tried to kill.<\/p>\n David has Mephibosheth brought before him and then begins one of the most beautiful exchanges of the Old Testament:<\/p>\nBackground: Biblical Homeboy<\/h2>\n
Whom can I bless?<\/h2>\n
Entering the courts of the King<\/h2>\n