2 Samuel 19:24 kjv
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
2 Samuel 19:24 nkjv
Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace.
2 Samuel 19:24 niv
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.
2 Samuel 19:24 esv
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety.
2 Samuel 19:24 nlt
Now Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, came down from Jerusalem to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes since the day the king left Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 19 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mourning/Physical State | ||
| 2 Sam 12:20 | Then David arose from the ground and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. | David ceasing mourning by changing appearance. |
| Job 1:20 | Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. | Outward signs of grief. |
| Ezek 24:17 | sigh in silence; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of mourners. | Instructions against traditional mourning signs. |
| Isa 32:11 | Tremble, you women who are at ease; shudder, you complacent ones; strip and make yourselves bare, and tie sackcloth around your waists. | Neglect of attire as a sign of despair. |
| Isa 58:5 | Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? | External signs of humbling oneself. |
| Jer 41:5 | That eighty men, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn and their bodies gashed, came from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, bringing grain offerings and incense to the house of the LORD. | Extreme outward mourning, defiling the body. |
| Lam 2:10 | The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have thrown dust on their heads; they have put on sackcloth; the virgins of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground. | Collective public mourning. |
| Matt 6:16 | “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others..." | Physical appearance related to internal state. |
| Joel 2:12-13 | “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments…” | Emphasis on heart over outward signs. |
| Loyalty/Humility/Grace | ||
| 2 Sam 9:7-8 | And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan... and you shall always eat at my table.” And Mephibosheth paid homage... | Mephibosheth's original reception of grace. |
| Ps 42:2 | My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? | Longing to be in God's presence, like for a king. |
| Ps 63:1 | O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. | Intense longing for the presence of the divine/ruler. |
| Lk 7:38 | standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. | A display of extreme devotion and humility. |
| Jn 13:5 | Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. | Humility and service by Jesus, connected to feet. |
| False Accusation/Vindication | ||
| 2 Sam 16:3-4 | And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.’”... | Ziba's false accusation against Mephibosheth. |
| Prov 12:17 | A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness utters deceit. | The power of true versus false witness. |
| Ps 35:11 | Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. | Experiencing false testimony. |
| 1 Kgs 2:7 | But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite... For they came to meet me when I fled from Absalom your brother. | Rewarding loyalty, akin to Mephibosheth's (Barzillai in same chapter). |
| 1 Pet 2:1 | So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. | Call to avoid slander, highlighting the sinfulness of Ziba's act. |
| King's Return/Restoration | ||
| Ps 24:7-10 | Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. | Anticipation and reverence for the King's entrance. |
| Matt 25:31 | “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.” | Messianic return, mirroring the anticipation of David's return. |
| Rev 19:11-16 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True... And from his mouth comes a sharp sword... | Christ's triumphant return as King. |
2 Samuel 19 verses
2 Samuel 19 24 Meaning
Second Samuel 19:24 reveals Mephibosheth's profound state of mourning and unwavering loyalty to King David throughout the period of Absalom's rebellion and David's exile. His neglect of personal grooming and hygiene—specifically not dressing his feet, trimming his beard, or washing his clothes—demonstrated his deep anguish over David's departure and his complete devotion until the king's safe return to Jerusalem. This visual testimony directly countered Ziba's earlier false accusation that Mephibosheth sought to benefit from David's downfall.
2 Samuel 19 24 Context
This verse is situated immediately after King David's decisive return journey from exile beyond the Jordan, following the defeat of Absalom's rebellion. David is making his way back to Jerusalem, and various individuals are coming to meet him to show their allegiance, seek reconciliation, or re-establish their relationship with the restored king. Crucially, 2 Samuel 19:24 comes after David had been misled by Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, into believing that Mephibosheth was disloyal and plotting to usurp the throne (2 Sam 16:1-4). Consequently, David had unjustly granted all of Mephibosheth's property to Ziba. This scene provides Mephibosheth his opportunity to personally present himself to David, demonstrating his true disposition and the reality of his faithfulness in contrast to Ziba's deceitful accusations.
2 Samuel 19 24 Word analysis
- Mephibosheth (מְפִיבֹשֶׁת - Mephiyboshet): Grandson of King Saul and son of Jonathan. He was crippled in both feet from childhood (2 Sam 4:4). David had previously shown him great kindness for Jonathan's sake, restoring Saul's land to him and allowing him to eat at the king's table continually (2 Sam 9:7-13). His name can mean "dispeller of shame" or "from the mouth of shame."
- came down (וַיֵּרֶד - wayyered): This verb indicates movement from a higher elevation to a lower one. Given that Jerusalem (where Mephibosheth likely stayed) is built on hills, "came down" signifies him physically moving from the city to greet David, who was probably approaching along the Jordan plain or from a lower road. Despite his lameness, he made a concerted effort to reach the king.
- to meet the king (לִקְרַאת הַמֶּלֶךְ - liqra't hammelek): A standard expression denoting approaching someone to encounter them. In this royal context, it signifies a formal act of respect, homage, and seeking the king's presence.
- He had neither dressed his feet (לֹא עָשָׂה אֶת רַגְלָיו - lo 'asah 'et raglayw): Literally "he had not done his feet." This idiomatic expression refers to various forms of personal care for the feet, which in ancient Near Eastern cultures included washing, anointing with oil, trimming toenails, or even general cleanliness after wearing sandals on dusty roads. The omission signifies complete neglect and a rejection of comfort and normalcy, characteristic of deep mourning.
- nor trimmed his beard (וְלֹא עָשָׂה אֶת שְׂפָמוֹ - welo 'asah 'et s'famo): Literally "and he had not done his moustache/beard." The beard was a symbol of honor and masculinity in ancient Israel. Neglecting it, letting it grow wild, or even shaving/tearing it was a profound sign of mourning, humiliation, or spiritual anguish (cf. Jer 41:5).
- nor washed his clothes (וְאֶת בְּגָדָיו לֹא כִבֵּס - w'et b'gadayw lo kibbes): Not washing clothes indicates a refusal to change out of soiled garments, symbolizing a persistent state of mourning or defilement. Wearing sackcloth or soiled garments was common practice for those in deep lamentation, signifying a disinterest in outward appearance or comfort due to overwhelming grief.
- from the day the king departed (מִיּוֹם לֶכֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ - miyyom lekhet hammelek): This temporal marker highlights the starting point of Mephibosheth's period of lament: David's hasty departure from Jerusalem.
- until the day he came again in peace (עַד הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּא בְשָׁלוֹם - 'ad hayyom 'asher ba' b'shalom): This signifies the culmination of his mourning period. "In peace" (בְשָׁלוֹם - b'shalom) denotes David's safe, restored, and triumphant return, indicating that Mephibosheth's anguish ended only with the assurance of the king's well-being and re-establishment.
Words-group Analysis:
- "neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes": This triadic expression, a classic biblical literary device, emphasizes the totality and completeness of Mephibosheth's neglect of self. It points to a deep and prolonged state of self-abasement and sorrow. This deliberate outward neglect serves as irrefutable evidence against Ziba's lie. These acts were not merely coincidental but chosen practices for lament, marking him publicly as one deeply afflicted by the king's absence.
- "from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace": This precise temporal boundary stresses the duration of Mephibosheth's loyal sorrow. It wasn't a temporary show but a sustained period matching David's entire time of exile. This longevity of grief further proves his sincerity and repudiates the accusation that he harbored royal ambitions during David's vulnerable period.
2 Samuel 19 24 Bonus section
- Mephibosheth's lameness (2 Sam 4:4) physically prevented him from accompanying David in exile, reinforcing his inability to act on any purported disloyalty. His appearance serves as evidence that though his body could not follow, his heart remained entirely with David.
- This passage demonstrates the concept of physical states mirroring spiritual or emotional ones, a common motif in biblical narratives (e.g., fasting, tearing garments). Mephibosheth's unkempt body reflects his deep inward agony.
- The detail of "not dressing his feet" can imply not having them washed by a servant, as was customary, thus indicating a deeper state of distress and lack of basic care due to his internal state of lament.
2 Samuel 19 24 Commentary
2 Samuel 19:24 offers a profound glimpse into Mephibosheth's character, contrasting sharply with Ziba's opportunistic deception. His outward appearance—his neglected feet, untrimmed beard, and unwashed clothes—was a visible and irrefutable testimony to his loyalty and deep grief over David's forced departure. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, such extreme neglect of personal care was a well-understood public sign of mourning, penitence, or despair. For Mephibosheth, it indicated that he could not find comfort or engage in normal life while his beloved king, who had shown him immense grace, was in distress and exile. This poignant scene not only serves to vindicate Mephibosheth in the eyes of David and the reader but also highlights the complexities of discerning truth amidst conflicting testimonies, ultimately underscoring the sincerity of heart over mere words or appearances presented by self-serving individuals. His visible distress conveyed a silent, powerful appeal for justice and vindication, echoing the sentiment of a faithful subject longing for their monarch's return.