Mephibosheth

Mephibosheth, also called Meribaal, was the son of Jonathan and grandson of King Saul, the first king of Israel. He is mentioned in the Books of Samuel. His story shows the kindness with which King David kept faith with the descendants of his friend Jonathan.

He was five years old when his father and grandfather died in the battle of Mount Gilboa. His nurse took him and fled in panic, but in her haste the child fell and remained lame in both feet all his life. He was carried across the Jordan into the mountains of Gilead and found refuge in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-⁠debar, near Mahanaim.

Later, after he became king, David sought someone of the house of Saul to whom he might show "the kindness of God", for the sake of his friendship with Jonathan. He asked Ziba, an old servant of Saul, and Ziba told him of Mephibosheth. David brought him to court, gave him back all the lands of Saul, and granted him the right to eat always at the king's table. Ziba was made steward of the household. One scholar says that the memory of his lameness was kept to show that Mephibosheth was no threat to David. Mephibosheth had a son named Micah.

At Absalom's rebellion Ziba accused his master of treason, and David gave the servant all his goods. When order was restored, Mephibosheth came to David and said that he had kept a fast all that time, unwashed and unkempt, and that he could not take part in the fighting because of his lameness. David forgave him and divided the property between him and Ziba. In the First Book of Chronicles he is called Meribbaal. The name in Samuel, Mephibosheth, means "from the mouth of shame". The Bible also names another Mephibosheth, a son of Saul and Rizpah, whom David handed over to the Gibeonites.