When
David had crossed the Jordan he was met by Mephibosheth, the crippled son of
Jonathan who appeared before him disheveled and unkempt. He seemed to be in
mourning since the day that David left Jerusalem. Second Samuel 19:24 explained
that “he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache,
nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he
came home in peace.” David, obviously unhappy that he did not
follow him into exile, forthrightly asked him why he did not accompany him to
go into exile? To David, it was an issue of loyalty and he wanted to ascertain
where Mephibosheth stood. Seizing the opportunity, Mephibosheth explained
that Ziba had deceived him. Since he was a cripple, he wanted to saddle a
donkey and leave with David but was unable to do so himself as he was
lame. The implication is that Ziba who was assigned to assist him
did not want to do so. He went on further and claimed that Ziba had maligned
him and misrepresented him to the king.
However,
he was confident that the king, as an angel of God, would be able to discern
the truth and act aptly. Mephibosheth further conceded that his grandfather’s clan
was far gone. Had it not been for David who befriended him and showed him
kindness, he would be long dead. He acknowledged that David had been gracious
and treated him like his own and had generously allowed him to dine at the
table with him. Mephibosheth was confident that David would be able
to tell the truth. And if the king chose to punish him, he would willingly
submit to his judgment and not utter a word of complaint.
Who
was telling the truth? Mephibosheth or Ziba? Unable to tell which version was
true, David hurriedly decided that the properties that were once Saul would be
divided between them. Mephibosheth replied that he was willing for Ziba to have
it all. For what mattered to him was not the properties but that the king was
safe and had safely returned.
David
had treated Mephibosheth kindly although he could have finished him if he
wanted. But he chose to honor his bosom friend, Jonathan by taking care of his
crippled son. Mephibosheth was granted the privilege to dine at the king’s table
though he did not expect it. Hence it seems unlikely that he would betray the
king. Furthermore, he was a cripple, and to seize the throne he had to
depend on Ziba. And they would have to come against a strong and healthy
Absalom. Whereas Ziba was a scheming man. He seemed like one who would take
advantage of the misfortune of others. Besides, he did not follow David into exile.
He only brought provision for him. And on learning of Absalom’s death and David’s
soon return, he quickly acted probably because he did not want the truth of the
matter to be discovered.
Mephibosheth
was the unfortunate victim of Ziba’s slanders. His unkempt demeanor when he met
David when the latter crossed the Jordan said it all. The lesson we pick up
here is about the need to live honestly and truthfully in good conscience
before God. Falsehood and slanders can never silence the truth. When we are
true to God, others, and ourselves, no one can spin a yarn about us that will
not be unraveled. We must always live life honestly and truthfully
in good conscience before God.
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