Take some time today to read the dramatic conclusion of Mephibosheth’s story. Commentators disagree as to what happens with him here. What do you think?

Years after Mephibosheth is welcomed as a son at David’s table, one of David’s sons starts a civil war and forces David off the throne and out of Jerusalem. Mephibosheth’s loyalty will come into question.
 
Here are some questions to ponder as you read …

• What might David be feeling?
• How does David react to the twists, turns, accusations and betrayals?
• How much does David seem to believe the accusations against Mephibosheth? What makes you think that?
• What resonates with you from this story? What is the Spirit pushing you to attend to in the text today?
• What, if any, action might the Lord be inviting you to take as you reflect on the text?

 
Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”… 

When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”… 

Then the Cushite arrived and said, “My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you.”The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”… 

Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan. Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.… 

Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba my servant betrayed me. And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?”The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

- 2 Samuel 15:14, 16:1-4, 18:31-33, 19:15-18a, 19:24-30