Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. I wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened / by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

CHAP. IX.

AND David said a 1.1, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul b 1.2, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathans sake?

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant c 1.3 whose name was * 1.4 Ziba: and when they had cal∣led him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God d 1.5 unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is * 1.6 lame on his feet.

4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lode∣bar e 1.7.

5 ¶ Then king David sent, and fet him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo∣debar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jona∣than, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence: And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy ser∣vant.

7 ¶ And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy fathers sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father f 1.8, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a * 1.9 dead dog as I am? * 1.10

9 ¶ Then the king called to Ziba Sauls ser∣vant, and said unto him, * 1.11 I have given unto thy masters son all that pertained to Saul, and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy ser∣vants shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy masters son may have food to eat h 1.12: but Mephibosheth thy masters son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons, and twenty servants i 1.13.

11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibo∣sheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the •…•…ings sons k 1.14.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son l 1.15, whose name was Micha m 1.16: and all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for

he did eat continually at the kings table; and was lame on both his feet.

Notes

• a 1.1

  David's Wars being ended, he set himself to the Admini∣stration of Justice to all his People, chap. 8. 15. And a∣mongst others he minds his just debt and obligation to Io∣nathan and his Family.
• b 1.2

  He saith not of the house of Iona∣than, for he knew not of any Son which he had left, and therefore thought his kindness and obligation was to pass to the next of his Kindred. As for Mephibosheth, he was ve∣ry young and obscure, and possibly concealed by his Friends, lest David should cut him off from jealousie of State, as hath been usual among Princes in like case, and therefore was unknown to David, as well he might be, especially when David's head and hands were full of War with divers and Potent Enemies, as they had hitherto been.
• c 1.3

  One who had been a Servant, and, as it may seem, a Stew∣ard to Saul. See below, v. 10.
• * 1.4

  Chap. 16. 1. & 19. 29.
• d 1.5

  Either, First, That kindness which I owe him for Gods sake, and by vertue of my Oath given to him about it, 1 Sam. 20. 14, 15. But that Oath seems onely to oblige him to Ionathan's Posterity, and not to any other of Saul's House. Or, Secondly, Great and eminent kindness.
• * 1.6

  Chap. 4. 4.
• e 1.7

  In a place beyond Iordan, chap. 17. 27. where his Friends thought he might be kept out of David's sight.
• f 1.8

  Which were now seized and possessed by David, as due to him, either, in right of his Wife, to whom the Inheritance was devolved, Saul's Sons by his Wives being all dead. See Numb. 27. 8. or, by Divine Donation, as belonging to the Crown which God had now given him: or, by forfeiture, because of Ishbosheth's Rebellion against his Lord and King.
• * 1.9

  1 Sam. 24. 14.
• * 1.10

  g So contemptible in my person and condition.
• * 1.11

  See Chap. 19. 29.
• h 1.12

  i. e. That he may have wherewith to buy Food for all his Family, and all manner of provisions (which oft come under the tile of Food and Bread) necessary for himself and them.
• i 1.13

  For it is probable he had been the chief Steward to manage Saul's Lands: whereby he had great opportuni∣ties to inrich himself, which also he was very intent and re∣solved upon, either directly, or indirectly, as the following History of him shews; and therefore it is not strange that he was so rich.
• k 1.14

  These are the words, Either, First, Of David; the words, said he, or said the King, being supplied out of the former and following Verses. Or, Secondly, Of Ziba, be∣ing thus rendred and understood, Also Mephibosheth, if the King so please, shall eat at my table, and shall be treated there according to his Quality▪ as one of thy Sons, as thou desirest: for the Estate will suffice for that also.
• l 1.15

  Either, First, Before he was discovered and brought to the King; and then David seems guilty of a great error in forgetting his dear Ionathan so long; although his long and continued Wars both Civil and Foreign, might afford him some excuse, as filling his mind and time with business of another nature. Or, Secondly, After that time: for there is nothing here which determines when this Son was Born.
• m 1.16

  Who also had other Children and Grand-Children, to keep up the name and memory of worthy and famous Io∣nathan. See 1 Chron. 8. 34, 35. and 9. 40, 41.