The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-07-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
international Lesson for August p, 1900
David's kindness--S Samuel 0;1-1S.


one to another with brotherly love.-Ro-
mans 1910.
THE SECTION includes Chap. and
Chap. 16:1-4 Also Acts 17:21-29, which gives
Incidents concerning the relation of David
to Mephibosheth.
TIME,-Unknown, but probably after
.David's earlier wars, and in the Quieter
times before the second half OF his reign.
Perhaps b. c. 1910. David was about ~
PLACE.-Jerusalem and Lo-debar, near
Mahanaim, in Gilead, eest of the Jordan.
1. David Busy Organizing His King
,dom.-Since, in this lesson, we come to
the close of the first part of David's
reign. it is well to glance over the work
which he accomplished. He found the
kingdom chaos, and mnde it an order
ly, well-arranged government. He found
it small, and made it large. He found it
divided. and made it unity. He found
it sorely pressed by enemies, and he
made it victorious over them. He found
religion at low ebb, and brought it
to full and flowing tide. During this
time. too, the capital was enlarged and
adorned, and splendid palace built for
the royal house. Then added to all this
was a greatly extended commerce,
though the Jews, at that time, were not
commercial people.
ii. David Takes Time to Look After
Neglected Individuals.-V. 3. 1t can be
seen that in David's efforts to bring
order out of chaos he must have been
exceedingly burdened by cares and la
bors. Yet he took time to think of his
duties to individuals and to seek
whether any had been neglected. "The
kindness of God" is kindness like Gods,
large, and free and forgiving. or kind
ness for Gods sake, according to Gods
example. David inquired if there were
not any of the house of Saul that he
might show this kindness to. David
could not have done this in the early
part of his reign. because his kingdom
was not then so firmly established that
it would be safe.
III. The Unfortunate Prince.--Vs. g.
8. And Ziba answered the king. Ziba
was an cid and trusted servant of Saul,
who had cared for Mephjbosheth in his
need. Jonathan hath yet a SOM"
This fact was unknown to David, because
the friends of Mephibosheth would fear
that he might be regarded as a rival.
When the news came of the death of
Jcnathan and Saul OH Mount Gibboa the
nurse took Jonathan's little boy, then
five years old, and fled from Jezreel.
In her haste, she let him fall and he
became lame in both feet.
". David's Care for Unfortunate
Neighbor.--Vs. 5-13. David not only
summoned Mephibosheth, but also had
him brought to him. 1t is quite prob
able that Mephibosheth was afraid of
becoming known to David. Kitto well
describes the incident: One day q. mes
senger arrives at Lo-debar. 1t is mes
senger from the king. Mephiboshethi is
alarmed when he finds the king has sent
for him. The messenger was probably
charged not to disclose the kings OBJ
ject, for when the lame youth appeared
before the king, and prostrated himself
In humble reverence, some trepidation
seems to have been visible in his man.
ner, as we may gather from the kind
and assuring words of David addressed
to one in whose countenance he prob
ably found some traces of the friends he
loved SO WELL"
Saul's family estate, which had fallen
to David in right of his wife (Num. 27:
81, or been forfeited to the crown by
Ish-bosheth's rebellion (chapter 12:s),
was provided ". II, also chapter 1929
for enabling him to maintain an estab-
lishment suitable to his rank, and Ziba
appointed steward to manage 1t, on the
condition of receiving one-half Of the
produce In remuneration of his labor
and expense, while the other moiety
was to be paid as rent to the owner Of the
land (chapter 19:29).-J. F. and B. The
estate must have been considerable,
much larger than the patrimonial inher-
itance of Saul, perhaps increased by
confiscation during his possession OF
royal authority. Henceforth was to till
the land of ofMephibosheth, "and bring in
the fruits, that thy masters son may
have food to eat:" Though Mephi-
bosheth himself was to be a guest at the
royal table, he would require the rev.
enues of this estate for the support of
his family and household. "But Mephi-
bcsheth shall eat bread at nv
table,"
v. TstS HUtcu ears A1tcr.-E sam. IT,
10. There are two incidents in after
years which bear upon the present
story. They occurred during Absolom's
rebellion, B. C. 1922 or 1923; II or 1s
years after the events Of to-day's les
son.
First, during this rebellion Ziba be-
trayed his master and falsely accused
him of treachery to David. The king,
believing him, as was quite natural un-
der the circumstances, took away
Mephibosheth's property and gave it to
Ziba. Later on, when Mephibosheth
seemed to tell him the truth, explain
ing his position and action, David re-
stored half of it. The story is very
touching. (See Q Sam. 1914; 1924
30)
Secord, David reaped harvest Of
good from his kindness to the lame
prince For when David fed from
Jerusalem from his ungrateful son, and
had reaches Mahanaim. the friend Of
- IL