By Colonie Hughes, Executive Director/Co-Founder
David and Jonathan are two of the best-known best friends in the Bible. 1 Samuel 18:3 says “Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself.” Jonathan even risked his own life to protect David when his father, King Saul, tried to kill his friend.
1 Samuel 20 records Jonathan’s oath to remain loyal to David, along with his request for David’s favor: “But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth” (vv. 14-15).
Eventually, Jonathan and Saul both die in battle, and David is anointed king over Israel. He remembers the vow he made to Jonathan, and he seeks out family members who he might bless in honor of his friend. Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, is then summoned to appear before the king.
Who Was Mephibosheth?
Mephibosheth was just five years old when his father and grandfather were killed. When news of their deaths reached his nanny, she was quick to get the boy out of town, fearing that his life might be in danger, too. Because they were in such a hurry, Mephibosheth fell and was permanently injured; he could no longer walk.
Years passed before Mephibosheth was invited to meet David. There’s no doubt that his disability had made life difficult, and he couldn’t imagine that the king would have anything good to say to him. So he fell facedown before David in humility saying, “I am your servant.”
To his surprise, Mephibosheth was met with great kindness from the king. David restored all of Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and invited him to be a permanent guest at the king’s table. From then on, Jonathan’s son lived in Jerusalem and ate at David’s table just like one of the king’s own sons.
It was this act of goodwill that enabled Mephibosheth to live up to his name, which in Hebrew means ‘exterminator of shame.’ As he sat at the king’s table, his damaged legs were out of view, and he was no longer considered an outcast. Kindness destroyed his shame.
