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THE K I N G ’ S BU S I N E S S
AUGUST 8, 1920
TH E KINGLY KINDNESS OF DAVID . Golden Text: “ David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.” 2 Sam. 8:15. lesson T e x t 2 Sam. 8:15; 9:1-13. (Read 2 Sam. 8:15: 9:1-13; Col. 3:12-17.)
will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. (8) And he bowed him self (did obeisance), and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? (9) Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. (10) Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for. him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. (11) Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibo sheth, said the king^ he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. (12) And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in Tthe house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. (13) So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat con tinually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet. ^ riched him when he was poor. The love between the two was sealed with a covenant which is the foundation of our lesson. (1 Sam. 20:14, 17, 42). “And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, for asmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever. And he arose and departed; and Jona than went into the city.” The king's son died with his father on the battle-field, and all of the king's other sons had perished, except one, and he was a man lame from childhood. When a lad of five, in time of war, his nurse sought to save him and had drop ped him, causing him to lose the use of both feet. Now David was strengthened in his kingdom, and there came a day when memory stirred his soul, and he thought
(15) And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and _justice unto all his people. (9:1) And David said,' Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? (2) And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. (3) And the king said, is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him ? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. (4) And the king; said Unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Am- miel, in Lo-debar. (5) Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo- debar. (6) Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of. Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephi bosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant 1 (7) And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely shew thee kind ness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and Outline. Q ) David Remembers His Promise to Jonathan, vs. 1-4. (2) David Restores Saul’s Possessions to Mephibosheth, vs. 5-9. (3) David Raises Mephibosheth to a Place in the Palaee, vs. 10-13. (1) DAVID REMEMBERS HIS PROM ISE TO JONATHAN, vs. 1-4. Here is an incident which reads like a fairy story. Once there were two young men, soldier boys; one, the son of a king, and the other a shepherd lad who had slain a LESSON giant. EXPOSITION They fell in love T. C. Horton with each other and a bond was wrought betwixt the two which was stronger than the love of woman. The king’s son had shown his friendship for the obscure lad in his time of need; had strength ened him when he was weak; had en-
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