From Nave’s Topical Bible
Mephibosheth
Every passage the 1896 Nave’s Topical Biblegathers under this heading, in Nave’s own arrangement and then in Bible order. MannaFest has not written this page — it is the older index, transcribed, with the Word travelling beside each reference.
- 14Passages listed
- 2Books of the 66
- 1896Nave's edition
How Nave’s arranged it
- 1. Son of Saul by Rizpah, whom David surrendered to the Gibeonites to be killed2 Samuel 21:82 Samuel 21:9
- 2. Son of Jonathan2 Samuel 4:4
- Called MERIB-BAAL1 Chronicles 8:341 Chronicles 9:40
- Was lame2 Samuel 4:4
- David entertains him at his table2 Samuel 9:1–72 Samuel 21:7
- Property restored to2 Samuel 9:92 Samuel 9:10
- His ingratitude to David at the time of Absolom's usurpation2 Samuel 16:1–42 Samuel 19:24–30
- Property of, confiscated2 Samuel 16:42 Samuel 19:292 Samuel 19:30
The passages, in Bible order (14)
The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 14 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.
- 2 Samuel 4:4
And Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 4:42 voices
Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet--This is mentioned as a reason why, according to Oriental notions, he was considered unfit for exercising the duties of sovereignty.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
He fell, and became lame - Dislocated his ankle, knee, or thigh; which was never after reduced; and thus he became lame. Lovely Jonathan! unfortunate in thy life, and in thy progeny.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 2 Samuel 9:1–7
Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”
Commentary on 2 Samuel 9:1–72 voices
David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul--On inquiry, Saul's land steward was found, who gave information that there still survived Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan who was five years old at his father's death, and whom David, then wandering in exile, had never seen.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
Of Saul - He saith not of the house of Jonathan, for he knew not of any son he had left, and therefore thought his kindness and obligation was to pass to the next of his kindred. As for Mephibosheth, he was very young and obscure, and possibly concealed by his friends, lest David should cut him off, as hath been usual among princes.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765Evangelical
- 2 Samuel 9:9
Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 9:91 voice
Saul’s servant - Josephus calls him one of Saul’s freedmen. The difference this would make in Ziba’s position would only be that instead of paying in the fruits of the confiscated land to David, he would have to pay them to Mephiboseth.
Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)Evangelical
- 2 Samuel 9:10
You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 9:102 voices
Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants--The mention of his sons and the slaves in his house was to show that Mephibosheth would be honored with an equipage "as one of the king's sons."
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
Thou therefore, and thy sons - shall till the land - It seems that Ziba and his family had the care of the whole estate, and cultivated it at their own expense, yielding the half of the produce to the family of Mephibosheth. Ziba was properly the hind, whose duty and interest it was to take proper care of the ground, for the better it was cultivated the more it produced; and his half would consequently be the greater.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 2 Samuel 16:1–4
When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:1–42 voices
Two hundred loaves of bread - The word loaf gives us a false idea of the ancient Jewish bread; it was thin cakes, not yeasted and raised like ours. Bunches of raisins - See on 1Sa 25:18 (note). Summer fruits - These were probably pumpions, cucumbers, or watermelons. The two latter are extensively used in those countries to refresh travelers in the burning heat of the summer. Mr. Harmer supposes they are called summer fruits on this very account.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
Shall the prospect of advantage in this world make men generous to the rich? and shall not the belief of an abundant recompence in the resurrection of the just make us charitable to the poor? Ziba was very considerate in the present he brought to David; it was what would do him some good in his present distress,
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710Puritan
- 2 Samuel 16:4
So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”
Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:42 voices
This matter was well settled; but, it seems, Ziba is not content to be manager, he longs to be master, of Mephibosheth's estate. Now, he thinks, is his time to make himself so; if he can procure a grant of it from the crown, whether David or Absalom get the better it is all one to him, he hopes he shall secure his prey, which he promises himself by fishing in troubled waters.
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710Puritan
Thine are all - This conduct of David was very rash; he spoiled an honorable man to reward a villain, not giving himself time to look into the circumstances of the case. But David was in heavy afflictions, and these sometimes make even a wise man mad. Nothing should be done rashly; he who is in the habit of obeying the first impulse of his passions or feelings, will seldom do a right action, and never keep a clear conscience.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 2 Samuel 19:24–30
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.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:24–302 voices
Besides dyeing it black or red colors, which, however, is the exception, and not the rule in the East, there are various modes of trimming it: they train it into a massy, bushy form, swelling and round; or they terminate it like a pyramid, in a sharp point. Whatever the mode, it is always trimmed with the greatest care; and they usually carry a small comb for the purpose.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
Neither dressed his feet - He had given the fullest proof of his sincere attachment to David and his cause; and by what he had done, amply refuted the calumnies of his servant Ziba.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 2 Samuel 19:29
The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:292 voices
Besides dyeing it black or red colors, which, however, is the exception, and not the rule in the East, there are various modes of trimming it: they train it into a massy, bushy form, swelling and round; or they terminate it like a pyramid, in a sharp point. Whatever the mode, it is always trimmed with the greatest care; and they usually carry a small comb for the purpose.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
Unable to get to the bottom of the story, and perhaps unwilling to make an enemy of Ziba, David compromised the matter by dividing the land, thus partially revoking his hasty sentence 2Sa 16:4. We still see the impatient temper of David.
Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)Evangelical
- 2 Samuel 19:30
And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:301 voice
Besides dyeing it black or red colors, which, however, is the exception, and not the rule in the East, there are various modes of trimming it: they train it into a massy, bushy form, swelling and round; or they terminate it like a pyramid, in a sharp point. Whatever the mode, it is always trimmed with the greatest care; and they usually carry a small comb for the purpose.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871Reformed
- 2 Samuel 21:7
Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 21:72 voices
Spared - For the Gibeonites desiring only such a number, it was at David's choice whom to spare. Of Jonathan - This is added, to distinguish him from the other Mephibosheth, ver. 8.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765Evangelical
The Lord’s oath - The calamity brought upon Israel by Saul’s breach of the oath to the Gibeonites would make David doubly careful in the matter of his own oath to Jonathan.
Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)Evangelical
- 2 Samuel 21:8
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 21:81 voice
Five sons of Michal - whom she brought up - Michal, Saul’s daughter, was never married to Adriel, but to David, and afterwards to Phaltiel; though it is here said she bore ילדה yaledah, not brought up, as we falsely translate it: but we learn from 1Sa 18:19, that Merab, one of Saul’s daughters, was married to Adriel.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 2 Samuel 21:9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 21:91 voice
In the first days - The barley harvest (about the middle or toward the end of April) was earlier than the wheat harvest Exo 9:31; Rth 1:22.
Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)Evangelical
- 1 Chronicles 8:34
The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 8:342 voices
And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal,.... The same with Mephibosheth, 2Sa 4:4 so Jerubbaal is called Jerubbesheth, Jdg 6:32. and Meribbaal begat Micah; called his young son in David's time, 2Sa 9:12.
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
Merib-baal - The same as Mephibosheth, for, as the Israelites detested Baal, which signifies lord, they changed it into bosheth, which signifies shame or reproach.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the BibleEvangelical
- 1 Chronicles 9:40
The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, who was the father of Micah.