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David understood covenant relationship. He and Jonathan, Saul's son, had entered into a covenant. (1 Sam. 20:14-17). Under the terms of this covenant David was to show kindness to Jonathan's house once David became King. This was important as it was common to kill the sons of the former kings due to their usual attempt to retake the throne for their father and their inheritance.
Later Saul would be killed along with Jonathan at Mt. Gilboa. (1 Sam. 31) David would become King and enters a time of war between the house of Saul and war with Israel's surrounding enemies. And he was victorious over both. After David brought about a unification of Israel and the defeat of Israel's enemies, he remembered his covenant with Jonathan. And so he asked if there were any left in the house of Saul that he could show kindness to. (2 Sam. 9:1)
And, yes, there was. A former servant in the house of Saul, Ziba, told David there was one son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, who was lame. (2 Sam. 9:2-4) David said to fetch him and they did. Mephibosheth was in great fear being of Saul's house and called before David the King. (2 Sam. 9:6-8) But David put away Mephibosheth's fears and told him that he would eat at Davids table, continually. (9:7,10) The story closes in (2 Sam. 9:13). "So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the kings's table; and was lame on both his feet."
So, though one was of Saul's house and a threat to David, David remembered the covenant he was in with Jonathan. And he kept kindness towards Mephibosheth, not because of who Mephibosheth was, but because of who Jonathan was. Because of the covenant. But David's keeping his promise due to the covenant has greater meaning yet. We are told twice that Mephibosheth was lame in his feet. (2 Sam. 9:3) (2 Sam. 9:13) When something is mentioned more than once in Scripture it is for a purpose.
Earlier when David was warring with the Jebusites to root them out of Jerusalem, they mocked David from the ramparts. (2 Sam. 5:6) They said, "...Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither." And David hated it. And David now hated the blind and the lame. And he made it known. (2 Sam. 5:8) "...Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief...." Thus it was known by all that the blind and the lame shall not come into David's house. (5:8)
David looks at this lame Mephibosheth, and the lameness is hated of David's soul. But he sees Mephibosheth in light of the covenant with Jonathan. No lame shall enter Davids house, yet , there sits Mephibosheth at ever meal, at David's table, lame in not just one but both feet. (2 Sam. 9:13) How can that be? The covenant.
Does this not bring to light what God is saying in (1 Cor. 6:9-11) The unrighteous shall not enter the kingdom. He then lists many of the sins we are guilty of. But then He says, "And such were some of you". (6:11) Past tense, though we sin still. Why past tense. Because of the covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ. "...but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (6:11) We just as Mephibosheth have much lameness at this time, which God hates. But God sees us through the covenant of Jesus Christ, and so we will always eat at his table continually.
What a great blessing Davids hatred of the blind and lame has become.
Quantrill
Later Saul would be killed along with Jonathan at Mt. Gilboa. (1 Sam. 31) David would become King and enters a time of war between the house of Saul and war with Israel's surrounding enemies. And he was victorious over both. After David brought about a unification of Israel and the defeat of Israel's enemies, he remembered his covenant with Jonathan. And so he asked if there were any left in the house of Saul that he could show kindness to. (2 Sam. 9:1)
And, yes, there was. A former servant in the house of Saul, Ziba, told David there was one son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth, who was lame. (2 Sam. 9:2-4) David said to fetch him and they did. Mephibosheth was in great fear being of Saul's house and called before David the King. (2 Sam. 9:6-8) But David put away Mephibosheth's fears and told him that he would eat at Davids table, continually. (9:7,10) The story closes in (2 Sam. 9:13). "So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the kings's table; and was lame on both his feet."
So, though one was of Saul's house and a threat to David, David remembered the covenant he was in with Jonathan. And he kept kindness towards Mephibosheth, not because of who Mephibosheth was, but because of who Jonathan was. Because of the covenant. But David's keeping his promise due to the covenant has greater meaning yet. We are told twice that Mephibosheth was lame in his feet. (2 Sam. 9:3) (2 Sam. 9:13) When something is mentioned more than once in Scripture it is for a purpose.
Earlier when David was warring with the Jebusites to root them out of Jerusalem, they mocked David from the ramparts. (2 Sam. 5:6) They said, "...Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither." And David hated it. And David now hated the blind and the lame. And he made it known. (2 Sam. 5:8) "...Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief...." Thus it was known by all that the blind and the lame shall not come into David's house. (5:8)
David looks at this lame Mephibosheth, and the lameness is hated of David's soul. But he sees Mephibosheth in light of the covenant with Jonathan. No lame shall enter Davids house, yet , there sits Mephibosheth at ever meal, at David's table, lame in not just one but both feet. (2 Sam. 9:13) How can that be? The covenant.
Does this not bring to light what God is saying in (1 Cor. 6:9-11) The unrighteous shall not enter the kingdom. He then lists many of the sins we are guilty of. But then He says, "And such were some of you". (6:11) Past tense, though we sin still. Why past tense. Because of the covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ. "...but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (6:11) We just as Mephibosheth have much lameness at this time, which God hates. But God sees us through the covenant of Jesus Christ, and so we will always eat at his table continually.
What a great blessing Davids hatred of the blind and lame has become.
Quantrill
