Person · one of several with this name
Mephibosheth
Also called Merib-baal
Mentioned in 14 verses across 2 books, first in 1 Chronicles 8:34. The verses below are the ones linked to this person (the Theographic dataset, with our sourced corrections).
In the Bible
All 2 verses in 1 Chronicles, in Bible order. Text from the Berean Standard Bible; verse numbers follow the KJV.
1 Chronicles
- 1 Chronicles 8:34
The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was the father of Micah.
- 1 Chronicles 9:40
The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, who was the father of Micah.
Dictionary
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), as attached to this record by Theographic. The entry is for the name and can describe more than one person who bore it. Easton wrote in 1897, and some of his views are now debated.
Read Easton’s entry
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](/2sam#2Sam.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).