David shows faithful kindness by seeking out Jonathan’s son in Lo-debar and welcoming him into his household.
“So the king said to him, ‘Where is he?’ And Ziba said to the king, ‘Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.’” (v.4). King David (c. 1010-970 BC), who had established a united kingdom in Israel and Judah, speaks here to Ziba, seeking the whereabouts of any remaining offspring of his dear friend Jonathan. His desire is to show covenant kindness and fulfill the promise he once made, particularly toward Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. The immediate question—“Where is he?”—places a spotlight on David’s genuine intent to reach beyond royal and social norms to show mercy.
In response, Ziba explains, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar” (v.4). Lo-debar, sometimes spelled “Lodebar,” was a city located on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Historical sources identify it with a site along the left bank of that river, generally tied to Tell ‘el-Hammeh in a region of the northern part of Gilead. This territory fell near or within land claimed by the Ammonites, and its distance from the royal city highlights how Mephibosheth stayed out of the public eye in remote surroundings. By noting Machir, the biblical text reveals the practical support given to Mephibosheth by another Israelite family while the young descendant of King Saul lived in relative obscurity.Despite Mephibosheth’s disabilities and marginalized status, David’s inquiry in this verse foreshadows the king’s intention to restore and honor him with a place at the royal table, demonstrating God’s grace embedded in the Davidic kingdom.
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2 Samuel 9:4 meaning
“So the king said to him, ‘Where is he?’ And Ziba said to the king, ‘Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.’” (v.4). King David (c. 1010-970 BC), who had established a united kingdom in Israel and Judah, speaks here to Ziba, seeking the whereabouts of any remaining offspring of his dear friend Jonathan. His desire is to show covenant kindness and fulfill the promise he once made, particularly toward Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. The immediate question—“Where is he?”—places a spotlight on David’s genuine intent to reach beyond royal and social norms to show mercy.
In response, Ziba explains, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar” (v.4). Lo-debar, sometimes spelled “Lodebar,” was a city located on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Historical sources identify it with a site along the left bank of that river, generally tied to Tell ‘el-Hammeh in a region of the northern part of Gilead. This territory fell near or within land claimed by the Ammonites, and its distance from the royal city highlights how Mephibosheth stayed out of the public eye in remote surroundings. By noting Machir, the biblical text reveals the practical support given to Mephibosheth by another Israelite family while the young descendant of King Saul lived in relative obscurity.Despite Mephibosheth’s disabilities and marginalized status, David’s inquiry in this verse foreshadows the king’s intention to restore and honor him with a place at the royal table, demonstrating God’s grace embedded in the Davidic kingdom.