Topic: Persons Of The Bible - Mephibosheth

The name "Mephibosheth" means "exterminator of shame" (i.e. of idols) or "exterminating the idols."

The first person named "Mephibosheth" was Saul's son by the concubine Rizpah (q.v.), the daughter of Aiah. Mephibosheth and his brother Armoni were with five others "hanged on a hill before the Lord." These seven victims were surrendered by David to the Gibeonites, and were crucified to avert a famine from which the country was suffering. Their bodies were exposed in the sun for five months (2 Sam. 21:8-10).

The second person named "Mephibosheth" was the son of Jonathan, and grandson of Saul (2 Sam. 4:4). This Mephibosheth's life seems to have been, from beginning to end, one of trial and discomfort. He was but five years old when his father and grandfather were slain on Mount Gilboa. The child's nurse, hearing of this calamity, fled with him from Gibeah, the royal residence, and stumbling in her haste, the child was thrown to the ground and maimed in both his feet, and ever after was unable to walk (19:26). He was carried to the land of Gilead, where he found a refuge in the house of Machir ben-Ammiel, the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar, by whom he was brought up. Machir was a powerful Gadite, who brought him up, and while here this Mephibosheth was married. When David had subdued all the adversaries of Israel, he began to think of the family of Jonathan, and discovered this Mephibosheth was residing in the house of Machir. Thither he sent royal messengers, and brought Mephibosheth and his infant son to Jerusalem, and there treated him and his son Micha with the greatest kindness, where he ever afterwards resided (2 Sam. 9). It is Mephibosheth's behavior during the rebellion of Absalom where we possess two accounts--his own, (2 Samuel 13:24-30) and that of Ziba, (2 Samuel 16:1-4) They are naturally at variance with each other. In consequence of the story of Ziba, he was rewarded by the possessions of his master. Mephibosheth's story--which however, he had not the opportunity of telling until several days later, when he met David returning to his kingdom at the western bank of Jordan--was very different from Ziba's. That David did not disbelieve it is shown by his revoking the judgment he had previously given. That David did not entirely reverse his decision, but allowed Ziba to retain possession of half the lands of Mephibosheth, is probably due partly to weariness at the whole transaction, but mainly to the conciliatory frame of mind in which David was at that moment. "Shall there any man be put to death this day?" is the keynote of the whole proceeding.

Derived from Easton's and Smith's Bible Dictionaries

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