Dropped, Hurt, Crippled, But Redeemed By The King!"

2 Samuel 3: 1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

2 Samuel 4: 4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 9:

1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called 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 unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is 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 Lodebar.

5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, 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 servant!

7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; 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 dead dog as I am?

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

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 Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. 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 king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

Mephibosheth had been born into royalty. The son of Jonathan, the grandson of king Saul. He had known the life of living in the kingdom at a very high level. Just think about it. Mephibosheth had witnessed the inner workings of the kingdom. Was under the protection of the royal family. Living at that high level in the kingdom of his grandfather everything available in the kingdom was at his disposal. When we live at a high level in a kingdom with that close personal relationship with a king it gives us great authority. But Mephibosheth not only had that relationship with the king but he was blood kin!

He has special privileges that other kids didn’t have. So as the news is pouring in that his grandfather Saul, and his father Johnathan has been killed, his nurse picks him up and they begin to run.

He is now in the arms of the only one he knew and trusted, fleeing with his nurse. Then, in the rocky hills in the Mahanaim area, she slipped and dropped him. He came crashing down on his feet, and severe pain overtook him. Both of his feet were broken. But, they could not think about getting to a doctor at this time. They must only think about survival. She picked him up and continued to carry him. The bones never mended correctly. He would never walk again. Imagine his pain inside as he watched the other boys and girls his age running and jumping and playing- and, he knew that he would never be a part of that. He would be dependent upon others just to transport him from place to place. And, as he reflected on his misfortune, one wonders if he thought to himself again and again, Mephibosheth had been hurt and made lame by someone else.