提要
這個表現出恩典、憐憫、和信實的優美故事肇端於撒母耳記上。約拿單和大衛立約，不只為他們自己，也為他們的後代（撒上18：3~4；20：15、42）。多年以後，大衛蒙上帝大大賜福，他記起他和約拿單的約，並信守他的誓言（撒上20：14~17）。
大衛想因約拿單的緣故向掃羅的後裔施恩。在這裡被翻作「恩」的希伯來原文有「守約、施慈愛」的意思。「上帝的慈愛」（9：3）則暗示人不配得的憐憫和恩惠。幼年即殘廢的米非波設（4：4）由掃羅從前的僕人洗巴帶到大衛面前。
大衛和約拿單之間的友誼，當時還年幼的米非波設可能並不知情，他可能只知道大衛是他祖父的敵人。當大衛將他從羅底巴（遠在約但河東南部）召來，他一定很怕自己的性命不保，因為在那個時代，每逢江山易主，新王將前朝後代盡數殺光以免留下後患是很尋常的事。但大衛仁慈的話語使米非波設相信，他真的沒有什麼好怕的（9：7）。
米非波設本身沒有任何功勞，但大衛視他如己出。大衛仁慈的舉動也證明了他赦免那些長久以來輕視他、排拒他的人。米非波設所得的這份不配得的憐憫和恩惠，正是上帝對祂百姓的愛的最佳例證。如同上帝邀請我們與祂相交，大衛也邀請米非波設常與他坐席。這是最高的光榮。大衛將掃羅的產業全數歸還米非波設，使米非波設變得非常富裕、昌盛。大衛不只尊重他自己和約拿單之間的約，也信守他對掃羅的諾言，沒有斷絕掃羅的後裔，也沒有從掃羅的父家滅沒他的名（撒上24：21~22）。
在第十章我們再次看到大衛的仁慈之舉。當亞捫人的王拿轄逝世，大衛即派代表去安慰拿轄的兒子哈嫩。拿轄曾經攻打居住基列雅比的以色列民，但後來為掃羅所敗（撒上11：1、11）。拿轄可能是在大衛被掃羅通緝的那段期間有恩於大衛。現在，大衛遂想向他的兒子哈嫩伸出友誼之手。想不到哈嫩竟聽信他愚昧策士的話，猜疑大衛的動機（10：13），而沒有照著以色列使節團當得的尊敬禮遇他們。哈嫩吩咐將以色列諸代表的鬍鬚剃掉一半──這對當時的東方民族來說是最大的侮辱。但他們所受的羞辱還不止此，哈嫩還令人割斷他們下半截的衣服，使他們露出下體（10：4）。
亞捫人這些不智之舉導致大衛的報復和一場大規模的戰爭、許多不必要的死亡。大衛自己並沒有出戰，他派他的元帥約押率隊出征。約押很有智慧的鼓舞以色列士兵，並巧妙的運用戰略應付亞捫人和他們的亞蘭聯軍。約押要他的人馬盡最大的力量應戰，並相信上帝會「憑祂的旨意而行」。結果哈嫩不但吃了敗仗，也失去了他的屬國亞蘭──亞蘭與以色列人和好，並轉而歸屬大衛（10：19）。
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Overview
This beautiful story that illustrates grace, mercy, and faithfulness, has its beginning in 1 Samuel. Jonathan and David had made a covenant, for not only themselves, the heads of the covenant, but their descendants as well (1 Samuel 18:3-4; 20:15, 42). After many years had passed and David had been greatly blessed by the Lord, he remembered this covenant with Jonathan and was faithful to his vow (1 Samuel 20:14-17).
David wanted to show kindness to Saul's descendants for the sake of Jonathan, his beloved friend (9:1, 7). The Hebrew word translated as "kindness" does not adequately convey the true meaning, which implies covenant faithfulness and love. "The kindness of God" (9:3) implies undeserved mercy and favour. Mephibosheth, who was previously introduced to explain how he became disabled when only five years old (4:4), was brought to David's attention by Ziba, a former employee of Saul, probably the steward over Saul's estate.
Mephibosheth would have been too young to remember the friendship between his father and David; all he probably knew was that David was his grandfather's enemy. When David summoned him from Lo Debar (far to the south and east of the Jordan), he must have been afraid for his life, for at that time it was usual for a new monarch of a different dynasty to destroy all heirs of the former monarch, so they would pose no threat. David's kind words to Mephibosheth must have convinced him that there was truly nothing to fear (9:7).
David was good to Mephibosheth, who, having no merit on his Ovvn, was treated as David's own son. This kindness gives evidence of David's forgiveness to those who had despised and rejected him for so long. The undeserved mercy and unmerited favour shown to Mephibosheth illustrates well the kind of love God has for His people. As the Lord has invited us to commune with Him, David invited Mephibosheth to always sit at the king's table. This was the highest honour possible. He restored to him all the inheritance of Saul, thus making him very prosperous. David not only honoured the covenant between himself and Jonathan, but also kept his promise to Saul, in that he did not cut off Saul's descendants, nor destroy his name from the inheritance of his father (1 Samuel 24:21-22).
David's kindness is again seen in chapter ten, when he sent an official delegation to Ammon to comfort Hanun when his father Nahash, king of Ammon, died. This same king had once waged war against the Israelite inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead but had been defeated by Saul (1 Samuel 11:1, 11). At some point, this king had shown kindness to David, probably during his time as an outlaw hiding from Saul. Now David wanted to extend his hand of friendship to his son Hanun, the new king. Rather than receiving David's delegates with the respect they deserved, Hanun listened to his unwise advisors and became suspicious of them (10:3). They were insulted and dishonoured in the worst way possible for eastern men of that time — shaving half their beards off. They were also humiliated by having their robes cut in the middle (10:4).
All this led to David's retaliation and a large scale war which caused the unnecessary deaths of many. David himself did not go to battle. He sent his commander, Joab, who wisely encouraged the Israelite army and using military strategy, deployed them against both the Ammonites and their Syrian allies. Joab, in effect, told his men to do their best and believe that God would "do what seems good to Him" (10:12). Hanun not only lost the battle but lost his Syrian vassals, who made peace with Israel and subjected themselves to David (10:19).
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