91 Then David said , "Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul , that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake ?" 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba , and they called him to David ; and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba ?" And he said , "I am your servant ." 3 The king said , "Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God ?" And Ziba said to the king , " There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet ." 4 So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king , "Behold , he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar ." 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel , from Lo-debar . 6 Mephibosheth , the son of Jonathan the son of Saul , came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said , "Mephibosheth ." And he said , "Here is your servant !" 7 David said to him, "Do not fear , for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan , and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul ; and you shall eat at my table regularly ." 8 Again he prostrated himself and said , "What is your servant , that you should regard a dead dog like me?"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 9:1-8
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.