2 Samuel 19:24-30

Listen to 2 Samuel 19:24-30

Mephibosheth Excused

24 Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
25 And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”
26 “My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled [a] so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,
27 and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Yet my lord the king is like the angel [b] of God, so do what is good in your eyes.
28 For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”
29 The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”
30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”

2 Samuel 19:24-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 19

David indulging to too much grief for the death of his son, is rebuked by Joab, and threatened with a revolt of the people from him, if he did not change his conduct, which be accordingly did, 2Sa 19:1-8; upon which the men of Israel were the first that moved for the bringing him back to Jerusalem, and the men of Judah were solicited to join with them in it, which was effected, 2Sa 19:9-15; and at Jordan, Shimei, that had cursed him, met him, and asked his pardon, and was forgiven, 2Sa 19:16-23; and when come to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth excused so well his not going out with him, that he had half his land restored to him, which had been given to his servant, 2Sa 19:24-30; and Barzillai, who had very liberally supplied the king, was allowed to return to his own city, and Chimham his son was taken to court, 2Sa 19:31-40; and a contention arose between the men of Israel and of Judah about the restoration of the king, which issued in an insurrection, as the next chapter shows, 2Sa 19:41-43.

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Footnotes 2

  • [a] LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate Saddle a donkey for me; Hebrew I will saddle a donkey for myself
  • [b] Or Angel
The Berean Bible and Majority Bible texts are officially placed into the public domain