91 And David saith, 'Is there yet any left to the house of Saul, and I do with him kindness because of Jonathan?' 2 And the house of Saul hath a servant, and his name 'is' Ziba, and they call for him unto David; and the king saith unto him, 'Art thou Ziba?' and he saith, 'Thy servant.' 3 And the king saith, 'Is there not yet a man to the house of Saul, and I do with him the kindness of God?' And Ziba saith unto the king, 'Jonathan hath yet a son—lame.' 4 And the king saith to him, 'Where 'is' he?' and Ziba saith unto the king, 'Lo, he 'is' in the house of Machir, son of Ammiel, in Lo-Debar.' 5 And king David sendeth, and taketh him out of the house of Machir son of Ammiel, of Lo-Debar, 6 and Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, cometh unto David, and falleth on his face, and doth obeisance, and David saith, 'Mephibosheth;' and he saith, 'Lo, thy servant.' 7 And David saith to him, 'Be not afraid; for I certainly do with thee kindness because of Jonathan thy father, and have given back to thee all the field of Saul thy father, and thou dost eat bread at my table continually.' 8 And he boweth himself, and saith, 'What 'is' thy servant, that thou hast turned unto the dead dog—such as I?'
9 And the king calleth unto Ziba servant of Saul, and saith unto him, 'All that was to Saul and to all his house, I have given to the son of thy lord, 10 and thou hast served for him the land, thou and thy sons, and thy servants, and hast brought in, and there hath been to the son of thy lord bread, and he hath eaten it; and Mephibosheth son of thy lord doth eat continually bread at my table;' and Ziba hath fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 And Ziba saith unto the king, 'According to all that my lord the king commandeth his servant, so doth thy servant;' as to Mephibosheth, 'he is eating at my table ('saith the king') as one of the sons of the king.' 12 And Mephibosheth hath a young son, and his name 'is' Micha, and every one dwelling in the house of Ziba 'are' servants to Mephibosheth.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 9:1-12
Commentary on 2 Samuel 9:1-8
(Read 2 Samuel 9:1-8)
Amidst numerous affairs we are apt to forget the gratitude we owe, and the engagements we are under, not only to our friends, but to God himself. Yet persons of real godliness will have no rest till they have discharged them. And the most proper objects of kindness and charity, frequently will not be found without inquiry. Jonathan was David's sworn friend, therefore he shows kindness to his son Mephibosheth. God is faithful to us; let us not be unfaithful to one another. If Providence has raised us, and our friends and their families are brought low, we must look upon that as giving us the fairer opportunity of being kind to them.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 9:9-13
(Read 2 Samuel 9:9-13)
As David was a type of Christ, his Lord and Son, his Root and Offspring, let his kindness to Mephibosheth remind us of the kindness and love of God our Saviour to fallen man, to whom he was under no obligation, as David was to Jonathan. The Son of God seeks this lost and ruined race, who sought not after him. He comes to seek and to save them!