Grace is a common idea in the Bible, but we would tend to look to the New Testament, rather than the Old Testament, for examples of grace. That said, there is an astonishing example of grace demonstrated in the life of David. In my opinion it was one of his crowning moments, but not one that many of us are too familiar with. It involves a man with a very unusual name!

The man in question is called Mephibosheth. He was the son of David’s good friend Jonathan and is first mentioned in 2 Samuel 4:4. There we are told that he was lame in both feet. Aged a mere 5 years old, his nurse dropped him in her eagerness to flee following news that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. Why all the hurry? Well surely Mephibosheth was the rightful heir to the throne after the death of his father and grandfather. But he was also of the lineage of the house of Saul and God had already anointed the young David as King.

As a result of all this haste Mephibosheth spent the rest of his life disabled. This note comes within a chapter about the assassination of Ish Bosheth (Saul’s son) who was King over the northern Kingdom of Israel. His death paved the way for David to become King of all Israel which happened in 2 Samuel 6.

Incredible Grace (2 Samuel 9):

By chapter 9 we find David looking for someone in the house of Saul that he could show kindness towards for the sake of his dear friend Jonathan. By this time Mephibosheth was a grown man, it was at least 15 years after his accident. David is helped in this matter by Ziba who was a servant of Saul’s household. David asked him specifically whether there was someone to whom he could show kindness from the house of Saul. Ziba told him about Mephibosheth, and David had him brought to him at the palace. At this point Mephibosheth was likely feeling very fearful and when he was brought to David, he bowed to pay him honour. This is what David then said to him:

⁷ “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

2 Samuel 9:7

This was a pretty incredible gesture from David. The declaration that he would always eat at David’s table is poignantly repeated in v10,11 and 13. This was a really big deal and the author wants us to see it! But after all these years of struggling with his disability, he had probably become pretty downbeat about life and perhaps even quite resentful towards God. Interestingly, Mephibosheth had been living in Lo Debar which means ‘barren land’ and it was a great picture for his life at this point. Mephibosheth responded to David’s incredible gesture by bowing down once more and humbly asking: What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” He recognised the state that he was in – barren, lost and without hope.

But the grace God is something we do not deserve. It is rich, amazing and something God lavishes on His children. It comes without strings and at the expense of the giver rather than the receiver. Similarly, Mephibosheth had done nothing to deserve this lavish love that David was pouring over him. Many a ruler would have seen to his death along with all other remaining members of the house of Saul, to allow him a free path to the throne. But not David, no he sought to show kindness for the sake of Jonathan.

Incredibly, David gave Mephibosheth everything that had belonged to Saul and his family. Then Ziba and his family, note in v10 that he had a whopping 15 sons and 20 servants, were tasked to farm the land and provide for Mephibosheth. Ziba agreed to all of this and we are told in v11 that “Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.”

Responding to Grace (2 Samuel 19):

Some years later after the family difficulties caused by David’s adultery with Bathsheba, we hear of Mephibosheth once again. Absalom’s conspiracy had come and gone, and Absalom himself was now dead. David had fled from Jerusalem, but was on his way home when Mephibosheth came out to meet him. This is what is said of him:

²⁴ Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his moustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

2 Samuel 19:24-25

Having experienced David’s lavish grace, Mephibosheth had remained fiercely loyal to him. The fact that he had not shaved or dressed, demonstrates how he had shared in David’s suffering. Moreover, he had done all this despite the fact that Ziba had slandered him back in chapter 16.

Back in chapter 16 Ziba had gone out to meet David with a vast amount of provisions as the King had fled Jerusalem. Then he had told David that Mephibosheth was: “staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’” As a result David had given to Ziba everything that had belonged to Mephibosheth. But now in chapter 19, Mephibosheth sets the story straight! He tells David that Ziba had slandered him. He had wanted his donkey saddled in order to ride with the King, but Ziba had betrayed him. Notice below how the conversation develops:

²⁷  …My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. ²⁸ All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?” ²⁹ The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.” ³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

2 Samuel 19:27-30

Mephibosheth is clear that neither he, or any of Saul’s descendants deserved anything except death from the King. Yet David had given him a seat at his table. David responded by ordering them to split the land between them, but again we see something quite incredible. Mephibosheth is not interested in the land or in possessions. All Mephibosheth wants is David.

This it seems is the right and appropriate response to grace. It is also how we should respond to the grace of God. What matters is not the rich inheritance that now belongs to us but Christ Himself. After all nothing Christ has done for us is because of our own merit. No we contribute nothing to our Salvation. We should therefore, glory not in ourselves but in the boundless grace of God as Paul explains in Galatians 6:14:

¹⁴ May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Galatians 6:14

Cover Photo by Federico Tasin on Unsplash