*H And David said: Is there any one, think you, left of the house of Saul, that I may shew kindness to him for Jonathan's sake?
Ver. 1. Saul. David was solicitous only about the descendants of Jonathan, who was the eldest son. The rest he afterwards gave up to be crucified, while he ordered the patrimony of Saul to be given to Miphiboseth, who was now about twenty years old. Salien, A.C. 1058. — It is rather wonderful that David had not thought of his old friend sooner. But we are not obliged to suppose that he had reigned fifteen years, without being mindful of his repeated promises to Jonathan. 1 K. xx. 42. H. — This event took place towards the beginning of his reign. C.
*H Now there was of the house of Saul, a servant named Siba: and when the king had called him to him, he said to him: Art thou Siba? And he answered: I am Siba thy servant.
Ver. 2. Servant, of free man of Saul, and a convert. Josephus. M. — Yet he might very well be a Hebrew, who refused to accept his liberty, and continued as superintendent over the rest of his master's house, (v. 10,) like Eleazar, Joseph, (Gen. xxiv. and xxxix.) or the servant of whom our Saviour speaks. Luke xii. 42. C.
*H Where is he? said he. And Siba said to the king: Behold he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lodabar.
Ver. 4. Lodabar, probably on the east side of the Jordan. C. — Machir was a powerful man of the tribe of Manasses. M.
*H And David said to him: Fear not, for I will surely shew thee mercy for Jonathan thy father's sake, and I will restore the lands of Saul the father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table always.
Ver. 7. Father, or grandfather. H. — It is thought that all his goods had been confiscated, in consequence of Isboseth's assuming the regal dignity. C. — David might give the property to whom he pleased. M. — Always. This was a mark of the greatest distinction. Luke xxii. 30. The Romans sometimes made their slaves free, in this manner, per mensam. C.
*H Then the King called Siba the servant of Saul, and said to him: All that belonged to Saul, and all his house, I have given to thy master's son.
Ver. 9. Son, Miphiboseth. Some understand less correctly, (C.) "I have given to Micha, the son of Miphiboseth, all that belonged to Saul; and, as for Miphiboseth, I give him my table." Munster. Vatab. Salien. M. — Saul's patrimony might be administered by Siba, to support Micha. D.
*H Thou therefore and the sons and thy servants shall till the land for him: and thou shalt bring in food for thy master's son, that he may be maintained: and Miphiboseth the son of thy master shall always eat bread at my table. And Siba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Ver. 10. Servants under him, though all belonged to Miphiboseth. H.
*H And Siba said to the king: As thou my lord the hast commanded thy servant, so will thy servant do: and Miphiboseth shall eat at my table, as one of the sons of the King.
Ver. 11. My table, if the king shall please so to order. Sanchez. — It would seem that Siba did not properly understand the king. C. — The Sept. Syr. and Arab. read, perhaps more correctly u, "his," instead of i, "my table," in shulchani. "And Memphibosthai ate at David's table, as one," &c. H. — He did not merely eat of the king's table, (v. 13,) but at it, super mensam, as the Heb. Chal. and Sept. express. M.
*H But Miphiboseth dwelt in Jerusalem: because he ate always of the king's table: and he was lame of both feet.
Ver. 13. Feet, from five years of age. C. iv. 4. If we add the seven years and a half of his uncle's reign, and suppose that David would take this notice of him, as soon as he had it in his power, after the taking of Jerusalem, we may conclude that he was about thirteen years old when he was presented to the king, and behaved with the most engaging modesty and respect. If he had already a son, (v. 12,) we may allow a few years more. H.