2 Samuel 9 - Introduction

2 Samuel 9:1-13. David's kindness to Mephibosheth

Since Mephibosheth was only five years old at the time of his father's death (ch. 2 Samuel 4:4), and now had a young son (2 Samuel 9:12), the incident here recorded cannot have occurred till David had been reigning at Jerusalem for some seven years at least, when Mephibosheth would be about 20 years old. The narrative finds a natural place here as an appendix to the general summary of the public history of David's reign, and before the account of his great sin with its fatal consequences. It is omitted in Chronicles as being a matter of private interest.