2 Samuel 19:24

22 And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”

23 So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.

Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.

25 And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”

26 “My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
KJV
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
WEB
Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.
ASV
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.
DARBY
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. Now he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came [again] in peace.
BLB
And Mephibosheth son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had not cared for his feet, and not trimmed his mustache, and his clothes he had not washed from the day of the going away of the king until the day that he returned in peace.
ÅB
Mefiboset, Sauls sønn, dro og ned for å møte kongen; han hadde ikke vasket sine føtter og ikke stelt sitt skjegg og ikke vasket sine klær like fra den dag kongen dro bort, til den dag han kom tilbake med fred.
OTB
Da kom Mefibosjet, Sauls sønn, ned for å møte kongen. Han hadde ikke stelt føttene sine, ikke trimmet skjegget, eller vasket klærne sine, fra den dagen kongen dro til den dagen han kom tilbake i fred.
B1930
Mefiboset, Sauls sønn, drog og ned for å møte kongen; han hadde ikke vasket sine føtter og ikke stelt sitt skjegg og ikke tvettet sine klær like fra den dag kongen drog bort, til den dag han kom tilbake med fred.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 15:2

    Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 41:5

    eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD.

    Read in context
  • Romans 12:15

    Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 9:6–10

    And when Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown in reverence. Then David said, “Mephibosheth!” “I am your servant,” he replied.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 16:3

    “Where is your master’s grandson?” asked the king. And Ziba answered, “Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.’”

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 15:30

    But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 6:16

    When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

    Read in context
  • Hebrews 13:3

    Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.

    Read in context