2 Samuel 9:5 kjv
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
2 Samuel 9:5 nkjv
Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.
2 Samuel 9:5 niv
So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.
2 Samuel 9:5 esv
Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.
2 Samuel 9:5 nlt
So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home.
2 Samuel 9 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 20:14 | "but show me the kindness of the LORD, that I may not die." | David's covenant with Jonathan. |
| 1 Sam 20:42 | "And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace..."" | Jonathan seals the covenant with David. |
| 2 Sam 4:4 | "Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet." | Mephibosheth's disabled state. |
| 2 Sam 9:1 | "And David said, 'Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul...'" | David's quest for Saul's lineage. |
| 2 Sam 9:3 | "Ziba said to the king, 'There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame...'" | Ziba reveals Mephibosheth. |
| Lk 19:10 | "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." | Jesus' mission to seek the lost. |
| Matt 18:12 | "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them..." | The parable of the lost sheep. |
| Isa 40:11 | "He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs..." | The Lord's care for the weak and scattered. |
| Deut 7:9 | "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps.. " | God's covenant faithfulness. |
| Ps 89:28 | "My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will..." | God's faithfulness to His covenant. |
| Ezek 34:11 | "For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I myself will search for my sheep..." | God as the seeker of His scattered people. |
| Ps 23:5 | "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;" | Fellowship and provision in God's presence. |
| Rom 5:8 | "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ.." | God's grace extended to the undeserving. |
| Eph 2:4-5 | "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which..." | God's mercy bringing dead to life through grace. |
| Eph 2:8-9 | "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of..." | Salvation is a gift of God's grace. |
| Tit 3:4-5 | "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared..." | God's saving grace manifested. |
| Mic 7:18 | "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression..." | God's merciful character. |
| Jam 2:13 | "For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not shown mercy." | Mercy triumphs over judgment. |
| Ps 68:6 | "God sets the lonely in families; he leads out the prisoners with singing..." | God cares for the desolate and outcast. |
| Prov 21:21 | "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness..." | Blessings of pursuing kindness. |
2 Samuel 9 verses
2 Samuel 9 5 Meaning
This verse describes King David's decisive action to fulfill his covenant with Jonathan by sending messengers to locate and bring Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, from his hidden place in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar. It highlights David's intentional and compassionate initiative to extend grace.
2 Samuel 9 5 Context
Chapter 9 of 2 Samuel begins with David, now firmly established as king, seeking to demonstrate loyal kindness (חֶסֶד אֱלֹהִים - chesed Elohim, kindness of God) to any remaining member of Saul's household for Jonathan's sake. This act stands in stark contrast to the common ancient Near Eastern practice where a new dynasty would systematically eliminate all potential rivals from the previous regime to secure its throne. David's query, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?", highlights his deliberate commitment to his covenant with Jonathan (1 Sam 20:14-17). Upon discovering Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan who was crippled from a young age (2 Sam 4:4), David acts swiftly to bring him into his royal court, thereby overturning Mephibosheth's hidden and destitute existence in a remote place called Lo-debar. This verse details the King's proactive initiative in fetching him.
2 Samuel 9 5 Word analysis
- Then King David (וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד - vayyishlach haMelekh David): "Then" indicates a consequence of David's earlier inquiry (2 Sam 9:1-4). "King David" emphasizes his full authority and sovereign power to command. His action is not random but a deliberate decision stemming from a kingly commitment.
- sent (וַיִּשְׁלַח - vayyishlach): From the root shalach (שָׁלַח), meaning to send, dispatch, or let go. This signifies an active, purposeful initiative. David doesn't wait for Mephibosheth to appear; he sends his agents to find and fetch him. This active seeking demonstrates his genuine intent to honor his oath.
- and brought him (וַיִּקָּחֻהוּ - vayyiqakhuhu): From the root laqach (לָקַח), meaning to take, fetch, receive, or acquire. The Hebrew word implies taking with care or reception, rather than forceful abduction. It conveys a sense of positive retrieval, bringing Mephibosheth from his isolated state into the king's presence.
- out of the house of Machir (מִבֵּית מָכִיר - miBēt Makhir): "House" signifies not just a physical dwelling but also the household or protective care. Machir (מָכִיר), possibly meaning "sold" or "bought," son of Ammiel (עַמִּיאֵל, meaning "people of God"), provided refuge for Mephibosheth. This man, Machir, appears later providing supplies to David during Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam 17:27-29), suggesting a pre-existing benevolent character and potentially David's earlier awareness of him. His home was a sanctuary, yet one detached from central power.
- the son of Ammiel (בֶּן עַמִּיאֵל - ben Ammi'el): Provides specific lineage, establishing Machir's identity. "People of God" could subtly link Machir's compassionate actions to divine principles, aligning with David's "kindness of God."
- from Lo-debar (מִלֹּא דְבַר - miLo' Devar): A critical detail. Lo-debar (לֹא דְבַר) literally means "no pasture," "no word," or "nothing." It conveys a sense of desolation, emptiness, and forgottenness. It's a remote, isolated place, devoid of status or hope, contrasting sharply with the king's palace. Mephibosheth's presence here underscores his abandonment and despair before David's intervention.
- "King David sent and brought him...": This phrase emphasizes the sovereign initiative and authority of the King. He actively dispatches resources to locate and rescue, demonstrating his control and determination to fulfill his pledge. It's not a passive invitation, but a royal command for retrieval.
- "out of the house of Machir... from Lo-debar": This specifies Mephibosheth's precise, obscure, and seemingly hopeless location. It paints a picture of isolation and hiddenness in a place symbolizing barrenness and nothingness, highlighting the transformative power of the king's act that retrieves him from such obscurity. The King knew exactly where the forgotten one was residing.
2 Samuel 9 5 Bonus section
The juxtaposition of "Machir, son of Ammiel" ("people of God") and "Lo-debar" ("no pasture/nothing") provides significant theological insight. Mephibosheth, though sheltered by a compassionate person linked to "God's people," was still residing in a place of emptiness and lack. This suggests that even within human acts of kindness, there can still be a profound sense of isolation and deficiency which only the sovereign King's intervention can truly overcome. It illustrates that mere existence, even with some protection, in a state of spiritual "Lo-debar" is vastly different from full restoration and intimate fellowship with the King. This particular verse, by focusing on David's dispatching, highlights the proactive and knowing nature of divine grace; the King not only remembered but also knew precisely where to send for the one he sought to bless.
2 Samuel 9 5 Commentary
2 Samuel 9:5 details the turning point in Mephibosheth's life, initiated solely by King David's sovereign will and covenant faithfulness. David's sending for Mephibosheth from Lo-debar, a place signifying "nothing" or desolation, underscores the radical nature of his grace. In a period when new kings routinely annihilated old royal lines, David’s action of seeking out Jonathan's crippled son to bring him into the royal court for honor and perpetual table fellowship was extraordinary. This act of King David is a vivid Old Testament foreshadowing of God's redemptive grace, where the Divine King actively seeks out humanity, spiritually crippled and residing in the "Lo-debar" of sin and despair, and brings them into fellowship at His table. This divine initiative transforms a state of forgottenness and desolation into one of blessing and communion, not based on merit but on divine kindness and covenant love.
- Like a rescuer searching for someone stranded in a remote, forgotten valley, David dispatched his agents directly to Lo-debar.
- This act can be seen in our lives: God's grace finds us in our most desolate places, those "Lo-debar" moments of life, and brings us into His abundant presence.