2 Samuel 19:25 kjv
And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
2 Samuel 19:25 nkjv
So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?"
2 Samuel 19:25 niv
When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?"
2 Samuel 19:25 esv
And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?"
2 Samuel 19:25 nlt
"Why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?" the king asked him.
2 Samuel 19 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 9:6-7 | ...you and your sons and your servants shall work the land... | David's covenant loyalty to Jonathan through kindness to Mephibosheth. |
| 2 Sam 16:1-4 | ...Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him... saying, “Mephibosheth remained in Jerusalem... | Ziba's false accusation and David's subsequent grant of Mephibosheth's land to Ziba. |
| Ps 34:13 | Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. | Warning against speaking falsehood, like Ziba's slander. |
| Prov 12:17 | Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness breathes out deceit. | Contrast between truth (Mephibosheth's defense) and deceit (Ziba's report). |
| Prov 19:5 | A false witness will not go unpunished... | God's justice against those who bear false witness. |
| Jer 9:8 | Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit. | Describes the destructive power of a deceitful tongue. |
| Is 35:6 | ...then shall the lame man leap like a deer... | Prophecy of physical healing, emphasizing the vulnerability of the lame. |
| Mt 15:30-31 | And great crowds came to him... he healed them, so that the crowd wondered... the lame walked. | Jesus' compassion and power to heal physical infirmities. |
| Lk 12:2 | Nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. | Principle of truth being eventually brought to light, applies to Ziba's deceit. |
| 1 Tim 1:10 | ...for liars, for perjurers... | New Testament listing of those opposing sound doctrine, including the deceitful. |
| Ps 101:5 | Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy... | King David's personal standard against slander, relevant to Ziba's actions. |
| Ps 120:2 | Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. | A prayer for deliverance from deceit and falsehood. |
| Deut 19:18-19 | ...if the witness is a false witness and has given false testimony against his brother, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. | Principle of lex talionis applied to false witness, emphasizing just punishment. |
| 2 Tim 3:1-5 | ...men will be lovers of self, lovers of money... treacherous, reckless... having the appearance of godliness but denying its power. | Describes characteristics similar to Ziba's treachery for personal gain. |
| Col 3:9 | Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices. | New Testament call to truthfulness in Christian conduct. |
| Rom 13:1-2 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities... | Importance of loyalty and submission to established authority. |
| Prov 24:21-22 | My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise. | Counsel for loyalty to both God and earthly rulers. |
| 1 Pet 2:13-17 | Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution... | Christian imperative for respecting authorities and maintaining good conduct. |
| Dan 6:4-5 | Then the high officials and satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel... but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault... but they could not find any; but these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God." | Examples of malicious accusations against faithful servants. |
| Gen 47:25-26 | They said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” | Joseph's faithful administration and the people's loyalty to the king he represents. |
2 Samuel 19 verses
2 Samuel 19 25 Meaning
In 2 Samuel 19:25, Mephibosheth presents his defense to King David, explaining why he did not join David during his flight from Absalom. He claims that his servant Ziba intentionally deceived him by failing to provide the promised donkey for travel. Mephibosheth emphasizes his physical inability, his lameness, as the reason he could not travel independently, thus relying on Ziba's assistance which was then withheld. This verse reveals Mephibosheth's loyal intentions and portrays Ziba as a treacherous opportunist.
2 Samuel 19 25 Context
This verse is situated during King David's triumphant return to Jerusalem following the defeat of Absalom's rebellion. As David makes his way back, various individuals come to meet him, including Shimei (a Benjamite who cursed David), and Mephibosheth. David's first encounter with Mephibosheth upon his return is charged with underlying tension due to a previous accusation made by Mephibosheth's servant, Ziba, during David's flight. In 2 Samuel 16:1-4, Ziba told David that Mephibosheth had stayed in Jerusalem, hoping for the kingdom's return to the house of Saul, prompting David to grant all of Mephibosheth's land to Ziba. Thus, 2 Samuel 19:25 is Mephibosheth's crucial moment to explain his absence, counter Ziba's powerful accusation, and clear his name before the restored king. Mephibosheth's earlier story in 2 Samuel 9 portrays him as a recipient of David's grace, perpetually seated at the king's table, making Ziba's accusation appear incongruous with Mephibosheth's previous loyal posture.
2 Samuel 19 25 Word analysis
And he answered: This highlights the immediate response to David's direct question in the preceding verse (2 Sam 19:24), signaling Mephibosheth's opportunity to explain his conduct.
'My lord, O king': In Hebrew, אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (Adonai ha-Melek). This is a customary and deeply respectful form of address, indicating submission and acknowledgment of David's sovereignty and authority, reinforcing Mephibosheth's posture of loyalty.
'my servant deceived me': In Hebrew, עַבְדִּי רִמָּנִי (avdi rimmani). The verb רִמָּנִי (rimmani), from the root רָמָה (ramah), signifies active betrayal, treachery, or ensnaring by fraud. It's a strong accusation, directly refuting Ziba's claims to David by turning the tables on Ziba himself, implying Ziba not only lied to David but also maliciously undermined Mephibosheth.
'for your servant said, 'I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king'': This clarifies the specific nature of Ziba's deceit: not only did he fail to act, but he promised to act. This detailed account paints Ziba's actions as deliberate deception, not mere oversight. Mephibosheth reveals his intent to accompany David, which directly contradicts Ziba's claim of his ambition.
'I will saddle a donkey for myself': This reveals Mephibosheth's personal effort or desire to manage his transportation despite his condition, and that he relied on Ziba only for assistance due to the next phrase.
'for I am lame': In Hebrew, כִּי פִסֵּחַ אָנִי (ki pisse'akh ani). The word פִּסֵּחַ (pisse'akh) precisely means crippled or lame. This is the crucial justification for Mephibosheth's dependency on Ziba for travel and for his inability to join David unassisted during such a tumultuous time. It speaks to his vulnerability and explains why he could not simply follow the king on foot or arrange alternate transport. It also strongly counters any insinuation that he chose to stay for treacherous reasons.
'my servant deceived me...for your servant said...': This phrase highlights the stark contradiction between Ziba's verbal promise to Mephibosheth and his actual actions, revealing a premeditated deception for personal gain. Mephibosheth exposes Ziba as a double-dealing liar who sought to profit from the political turmoil and the king's distress.
2 Samuel 19 25 Bonus section
- Mephibosheth's physical appearance in 2 Samuel 19:24—having not cared for his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes—serves as strong circumstantial evidence supporting his narrative in 2 Samuel 19:25. His disheveled state visually affirmed his mourning and distress during David's absence, demonstrating he was not celebrating rebellion but suffering under Ziba's treachery and the king's flight. This appearance starkly contrasts with one who might have been hoping to become king.
- David's later decision in 2 Samuel 19:29, "You and Ziba shall divide the land," reflects a compromise rather than a definitive judgment on the absolute truth of Mephibosheth's accusation. This might be due to the difficulty of absolute proof, a desire to promote unity and end legal wrangling during a sensitive period of restoration, or perhaps a hint that while Mephibosheth was innocent of rebellion, David felt a degree of passive responsibility for not finding a way to join him. Nonetheless, Mephibosheth's response (2 Sam 19:30) of selfless contentment further validates his integrity.
2 Samuel 19 25 Commentary
2 Samuel 19:25 offers Mephibosheth's desperate but dignified plea against a false accusation. His words succinctly combine his core defense: his trust was betrayed by his servant Ziba, and his physical disability made him entirely dependent on the very person who deceived him. Mephibosheth asserts his steadfast loyalty to King David, explaining that his physical lameness made it impossible to flee or join the king without assistance. He effectively counters Ziba's previous narrative (2 Sam 16) that he was hoping to seize the throne. This verse underscores the vulnerability of the physically infirm and the insidious nature of slander aimed at exploiting a chaotic situation for personal gain. While David's response (2 Sam 19:29) to divide the land may seem ambiguous, Mephibosheth's unkempt state (2 Sam 19:24) and his consistent lack of ambition ultimately lend credibility to his story. The passage reminds believers of the Lord's eventual revelation of truth and His justice, even when human judgments appear inconclusive or compromised.