Mephibosheth [Mēphĭb'o shĕth]—utterance of baal or destroying shame.

1. A son of Rizpah, Saul’s concubine and the daughter of Aiah. David gave him up to the Gibeonites (2 Sam. 21:8).
2. The son of Jonathan, son of Saul. Also called Meribbaal, meanning “a striver against Baal” (2 Sam. 4:4; 9:6-13; 16:1, 4; 19:24-30; 21:7; 1 Chron. 8:34; 9:40).

The Man Who Was Lame in Both Feet

Mephibosheth was only five years old when Jonathan, his father, and Saul, his grandfather, both fell in the same battle on Mount Gilboa, and with their death their family fell from the throne. In the terror of that day of defeat and death, the nurse caught up Jonathan’s child and fled with him in her arms. But in her haste she let the little prince fall, and thus Mephibosheth was lame in both feet for the rest of his life.

Preachers can find excellent material in what is said of Mephibosheth—a type of the redeemed sinner.

I. He belonged to the royal line, but was made a cripple by a fall (2 Sam. 4:4).

II. He lived in exile from the king but was remembered because of a covenant (1 Sam. 20:14, 15; 2 Sam. 9:3, 4).

III. He was called into the king’s presence and exalted because of the merits of another (2 Sam. 9:5, 7).

IV. He was given a glorious heritage (2 Sam. 9:9).

V. He lived a life of self-denial during the king’s absence (2 Sam. 19:24).

VI. He was subject to persecution and slander (2 Sam. 16:3; 19:27).

VII. He rejoiced at the return of the king and cared little for material things (2 Sam. 19:30).