Why does David show kindness to Miphiboseth?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

David says he will show Miphiboseth mercy for the sake of Jonathan, his father. He promises to restore Saul’s lands and let Miphiboseth eat at his table always.

Chapter breakdown

David asks whether anyone remains of Saul’s house to whom he can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake. A servant of Saul’s house named Siba is called to the king. David asks whether he is Siba, and he identifies himself as Siba, his servant. David again asks whether anyone remains of Saul’s house so he can show him the mercy of God. Siba says a son of Jonathan remains who is lame in his feet. Asked where he is, Siba says he is in the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, in Lodabar. David sends for him and brings him from that house.

Miphiboseth, son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, comes to David and falls on his face in homage. David calls his name, and he answers that he is his servant. David tells him not to fear. He promises mercy for Jonathan his father’s sake, restoration of Saul’s lands—the passage calls Saul his father—and bread at David’s table always. Miphiboseth bows and asks who he, David’s servant, is that David should look on such a dead dog as himself.

David calls Siba, Saul’s servant, and tells him he has given everything belonging to Saul and his whole house to his master’s son. He commands Siba, his sons and his servants to till the land and bring food for his master’s son to maintain him. David repeats that Miphiboseth will always eat bread at his table. Siba has fifteen sons and twenty servants. Siba says he will do as his lord the king has commanded. The passage then says Miphiboseth will eat at the table as one of the king’s sons.

Miphiboseth has a young son named Micha. All the kindred of Siba’s house serve Miphiboseth. Miphiboseth lives in Jerusalem because he always eats at the king’s table, and he is lame in both feet.

The story inside

David’s search begins with his stated wish to show kindness for Jonathan’s sake. Siba connects the search to a particular person and place: Jonathan’s son Miphiboseth, in Machir’s house in Lodabar. When Miphiboseth comes, David names both the relationship behind the mercy and its practical terms: restored lands and a continuing place at his table. David then gives Siba’s large household the work of tilling and supplying food. The ending shows Miphiboseth living in Jerusalem, eating at the table and still lame in both feet. The kindness includes land, service and a regular place with the king; the source does not say that Miphiboseth feared a customary execution or was legally adopted.

Lessons worth keeping

1
David’s stated reason is specific. He asks about Saul’s house for Jonathan’s sake and repeats that reason to Jonathan’s son. Keeping the relationship avoids replacing the chapter with a general theory of royal policy.
2
The provision has distinct parts. David restores property, commands Siba’s sons and servants to work and supply food, and promises Miphiboseth a place at his table. These are connected acts, not simply a vague restoration of honour.
3
The family and physical details remain at the end. Micha is named as Miphiboseth’s young son, Siba’s kindred serve him, and Miphiboseth remains lame in both feet. Eating as one of the king’s sons is a comparison in the passage, not a stated adoption procedure.

Test your recall

How does David’s kindness for Jonathan’s sake lead to both the land-work command to Siba and Miphiboseth’s life in Jerusalem?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 32521–32540
2 Kings Chapter 9 David’s kindness to Miphiboseth for the sake of his father Jonathan. 9:1. And David said: Is there any one, think you, left of the house of Saul, that I may shew kindness to him for Jonathan’s sake? 9:2. Now there was of the house of Saul, a servant named Siba: and when the king had called him to him, he said to him: Art thou Siba? And he answered: I am Siba thy servant. 9:3. And the king said: Is there any one left of the house of Saul, that I may shew the mercy of God unto him? And Siba said to the king: There is a son of Jonathan left, who is lame of his feet. 9:4. Where is he? said he. And Siba said to the king: Behold he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lodabar. 9:5. Then King David sent, and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodabar.
Lines 32542–32551
9:6. And when Miphiboseth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul was come to David, he fell on his face and worshipped. And David said: Miphiboseth? And he answered: Behold thy servant. 9:7. And David said to him: Fear not, for I will surely shew thee mercy for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and I will restore the lands of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table always. 9:8. He bowed down to him, and said: Who am I thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?
Lines 32553–32564
9:9. Then the King called Siba the servant of Saul, and said to him: All that belonged to Saul, and all his house, I have given to thy master’s son. 9:10. Thou therefore and thy sons and thy servants shall till the land for him: and thou shalt bring in food for thy master’s son, that he may be maintained: and Miphiboseth the son of thy master shall always eat bread at my table. And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 9:11. And Siba said to the king: As thou my lord the king hast commanded thy servant, so will thy servant do: and Miphiboseth shall eat at my table, as one of the sons of the King.
Lines 32566–32572
9:12. And Miphiboseth had a young son whose name was Micha: and all that kindred of the house of Siba served Miphiboseth. 9:13. But Miphiboseth dwelt in Jerusalem: because he ate always of the king’s table: and he was lame of both feet.