Where Were You, Mephibosheth?
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Ziba came to the Jordan to welcome David back home as well.
Mephibosheth also arrived in a state of mourning, showing his grief over David’s exile and his loyalty to his king. Upon seeing Mephibosheth, David asked, “Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?” (2 Samuel 19:25).
“Mephibosheth claimed that for purposes of personal gain, Ziba had told David a base falsehood, thus causing David to regard as ungrateful and disloyal his erstwhile faithful servant. . . . According to the new version of the incident the two asses Ziba brought to David had actually been prepared at Mephibosheth’s orders, so that he could take his flight with David. Instead they had been stolen by Ziba, who left Mephibosheth at home, helpless in his lameness.” Mephibosheth left justice in the hands of David, for the king had dealt mercifully with him in the past.
David could have had all descendants of Saul put to death so there would never be a challenge to his throne. Instead, David had treated the son of Jonathan with graciousness.
“David had done Mephibosheth an injustice in accepting Ziba’s story without verification and in bestowing on him all his master’s possessions before hearing the other side of the case ([2 Samuel] 16:4). David now realized that an injustice had been done and endeavored to undo it by returning to Mephibosheth half his property. This would hardly seem sufficient, however, to satisfy justice. If Ziba told the truth, he should have kept all; if not, he should have been deprived of all his gains and been punished besides. David’s compromise was both weak and unjust.” Mephibosheth did not complain about this unfair judgment.
He wanted David to know he had not come down to see him in order to get his property back. He offered to let Ziba have everything: “Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house” (2 Samuel 19:30).
It was enough. David was back.
Would you, as a Christian, be content with such an injustice?
