Mephibosheth

2 definitions found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Mephibosheth
     exterminator of shame; i.e., of idols. (1.) The name of Saul's
     son by the concubine Rizpah (q.v.), the daughter of Aiah. He and
     his brother Armoni were with five others "hanged on a hill
     before the Lord" by the Gibeonites, and their bodies exposed in
     the sun for five months (2 Sam. 21:8-10). (2.) The son of


     Jonathan, and grandson of Saul (2 Sam. 4:4). He was but five
     years old when his father and grandfather fell on Mount Gilboa.
     The child's nurse hearing of this calamity, fled with him from
     Gibeah, the royal residence, and stumbling in her haste, the
     child was thrown to the ground and maimed in both his feet, and
     ever after was unable to walk (19:26). He was carried to the
     land of Gilead, where he found a refuge in the house of Machir,
     the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar, by whom he was brought up.
     
       Some years after this, when David had subdued all the
     adversaries of Israel, he began to think of the family of
     Jonathan, and discovered that Mephibosheth was residing in the
     house of Machir. Thither he sent royal messengers, and brought
     him and his infant son to Jerusalem, where he ever afterwards
     resided (2 Sam. 9).
     
       When David was a fugitive, according to the story of Ziba (2
     Sam. 16:1-4) Mephibosheth proved unfaithful to him, and was
     consequently deprived of half of his estates; but according to
     his own story, however (19:24-30), he had remained loyal to his
     friend. After this incident he is only mentioned as having been
     protected by David against the vengeance the Gibeonites were
     permitted to execute on the house of Saul (21:7). He is also
     called Merib-baal (1 Chr. 8:34; 9:40). (See {ZIBA}.)
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Mephibosheth, out of my mouth proceeds reproach