“The king said to him, ‘Where is he?’ and Tziva answered, ‘He’s there in the house of Makhir the son of ‘Ammi’el, in Lo-D’var.'”-2 Samuel 9:4
When David inquires about Mephiboshesh’s whereabouts, we’re told something interesting.
‘He’s there in the house of Makhir
the son of ‘Ammi’el, in Lo-D’var.’
So Mephiboshesh was NOT residing on Saul’s estate that Tziva was currently controlling.
Surprising, isn’t it?
Who was the House Makhir?
“Makhir” was a pretty common name in the part of the Manasseh tribe that lived across the Jordan River.
Therefore, when Mephibosheth (who was from the tribe of Benjamin) needed sanctuary from the Gibeonites, he found shelter with this Makhir clan in the north.
These folks had been super loyal to King Saul…
So it makes perfect sense they’d protect his grandson!
Now the word Lo-D’var is a wonky translation error if I ever came across one.
Lo-D’var can mean “no word” or “no field” depending on how you pronounce it.
But neither one makes any sense whatsoever.
So what gives?
Well, check out this scripture reference from the book of Joshua:
“…that is, from Heshbon to Ramot-Mitzpeh
and B’tonim; and from Machanayim
to the border of Lidvir;“
-Joshua 13:26
Well, there you have it, homies.
Lo-D’var is really Lidvir!
A place that sat east of the Jordan River, near Jabesh-Gilead.
The people there had strong ties with the tribe of Benjamin—especially Saul’s family—way before Saul became king.
Why?
Years earlier, Benjaminite warriors, led by Saul, rescued them from a cruel king named Nachash of Ammon.
Later, after the tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out in a huge battle, women from Jabesh-Gilead were given to the few surviving men to help rebuild the tribe.
So, the bond between Saul’s family and these people wasn’t just political—it was family.
In 2 Samuel 21, we see that Mephibosheth was the only remaining survivor after a bloody revenge mission against Saul’s family.
The Gibeonites were out for vengeance…
And even though David told them to spare Mephibosheth…
They were still determined to wipe out every last member of Saul’s family.
David maybe thought he had done his part by officially ordering the Gibeonites to spare Mephibosheth.
But he knew better than anyone that blood feuds didn’t just fade away with time—especially in the Middle East.
He probably assumed Mephibosheth wouldn’t last long…
Actually, lemme rephrase that.
He was probably SHOCKED as all hell to hear the crippled Mephibosheth was still alive and now hiding out across the Jordan River.
So here’s the takeaway for today…
And I believe it’s a powerful Scriptural truth:
Connections are EVERYTHING!
Who you choose to align with…
Who you choose to support…
Whether that support is political, military, or financial—
It will shape your future.
Mephibosheth was tied to Saul, a Benjaminite who once saved the people of Makhir from destruction.
When Mephibosheth needed help, the House of Makhir returned the favor, giving him a safe place to hide.
The same goes for all of us—spiritually.
You’re either grafted into the commonwealth of Israel through faith in the Jewish Messiah…
Or you’re not.
And when trouble comes knocking on your door…
You’ll either be swallowed up by the forces of evil—what Paul calls the god of this world…
Or you’ll be protected by the one true God—who still watches over Israel today.
Ya feel me?
So who are you going to align yourself with?
The one true God of Israel?
Or the Satan of this world?
That choice will very much determine your eternal destiny.
Later homies.
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