“Now Y’honatan the son of Sha’ul’s had a son, and he was lame in both legs. He had been five years old when the news about Sha’ul and Y’honatan came from Yizre‘el. His nurse had gathered him up and fled; but as she was hurrying to get away, he fell and became lame. His name was M’fivoshet.”-2 Samuel 4:4
Verse 4 provides key context for the ordeal about to unfold.
David’s closest friend, Jonathan, had a son named Mephibosheth.
When the nurse caring for Mephibosheth heard that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle and the Philistines were fast overtaking the land, she grabbed the 5-year-old boy and fled.
But in a panic, she ended up dropping the poor boy, and the fall caused a back injury that permanently crippled him.
Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandson and get this.
His mother was Rizpah!
That’s right, homies.
It’s the same Rizpah who Avner slept with.
Some folks disagree and say it was a different woman.
But most of the ancient Jewish sages say it was the same woman.
There is also some evidence in the Bible.
This would also explain why Rizpah played a key role in this story and others.
Now notice how similar the names Mephibosheth and Ishbosheth are.
As I explained in an earlier lesson, the later Hebrew writers often replaced the word “ba’al” with “bosheth” because over time, the use of the word “ba’al” was deemed offensive.
Mephibosheth means something like “to destroy or eliminate ba’al.”
Either way, it was meant to have a positive and righteous connotation.
To show you what I mean about how words were changed over time, take a look at these verses from 1st Chronicles:
“Ner fathered Kish; Kish fathered Sha’ul; and Sha’ul fathered Y’honatan, Malkishua, Avinadav and Eshba‘al. The son of Y’honatan was M’riv-Ba‘al, and M’riv-Ba‘al fathered Mikhah.”-1 Chronicles 8:33-34
We see the names Ishbosheth and Mephibosheth were written as Eshba’al and Meriv-ba’al before the term “Ba’al” was judged offensive.
It’s interesting how linguistic history evolves like that.
Do you know why this story was inserted here in the first place?
Here’s the thing.
Mephibosheth is introduced to foreshadow the tragedy awaiting Ishbosheth.
Once Ishboseth is gone, no one will be left to take over Saul’s throne.
Mephibosheth was the last person with a close enough connection to Saul to be considered part of the royal family.
However, it’s unimaginable that a lame person would become king.
The bottom line is Saul’s family line is about to end.
In a tribal society, there was nothing more tragic.
We’ll continue the next time we meet.
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