2 Samuel 19:28

28 You could have killed anyone in my entire family, Your Majesty. Instead, you've seated me with those who eat at your table. So I no longer have the right to complain to the king."

2 Samuel 19:28 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 19:28

For all [of] my, father's house were but dead men before my
lord the king
Or "men of death" F13; worthy of death, not on account of Saul's persecution, for which his family did not deserve to suffer; rather for the attempt of Ishbosheth to get the kingdom from him, which might be deemed treason, and so the family was tainted for it; though the sense may be only this, that their lives lay at his mercy, and that if he had dealt with rigour and severity towards them, as was usual for princes to do towards the family of their predecessors, who had any claim to the kingdom, put them to death, this would have been their case:

yet didst thou set thy servant among them that eat at thine own table;
which was showing him great kindness, and doing him great honour:

what right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
to ask any favour of him, or make any complaint to him.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 (twm yvna) "viris mortis", Montanus.

2 Samuel 19:28 In-Context

26 He answered, "My servant deceived me, Your Majesty. Since I am disabled, I said, 'Saddle the donkey for me, and I'll ride on it and go with the king.'
27 He told you lies about me, Your Majesty. However, you are like God's Messenger. Do what you think is right.
28 You could have killed anyone in my entire family, Your Majesty. Instead, you've seated me with those who eat at your table. So I no longer have the right to complain to the king."
29 The king asked him, "Why do you keep talking about it? I've said that you and Ziba should divide the land."
30 "Let him take it all," Mephibosheth told the king. "It's enough for me that you've come home safely."
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