Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 9:4
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 Ammiel, in Lo-debar.
David reaped the fruit of his kindness to Mephibosheth, for, when he fled from Absalom, Machir, the son of Ammiel, was one of those who were most liberal in providing him and his army with necessaries (marginal reference). According to 1Ch 3:5, Ammiel (called inversely Eliam, 2Sa 11:3) was the father of Bath-sheba. If this be the same Ammiel, Machir would be Bath-shebas brother. However, the name is not a very uncommon one (Num 13:12; 1Ch 26:5, etc.).
Lo-debar – Evidently on the east of Jordan River, and in the neighborhood of Ish-bosheths capital, Mahanaim 2Sa 17:27, but not identified by any modern traveler. Thought by some, not improbably, to be the same as Debir Jos 13:26.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Lo-debar.] Supposed to have been situated beyond Jordan; but there is nothing certain known concerning it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In a place beyond Jordan, 2Sa 17:27, where his friends thought he might be kept out of Davids sight.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the king said unto him, where is he?…. In what part of the land, city, or town, does he dwell?
and Ziba said unto the king, behold, he [is] in the house of Machir,
the son of Ammiel; a descendant of Machir, the son of Manasseh, to whom the land of Gilead was given, which lay on the other side Jordan:
in Lodebar; a place in that country, perhaps the same with Debir in
Jos 13:26. Here it may be his mother’s relations lived, and here he might dwell in obscurity, and lie hid from the knowledge of David; who, it might be feared by his friends, would have dispatched him, had he known where he was. Some take it to be an appellative, and render it, as Abarbinel observes, “without anything”; as if he was so poor that he had not anything to support himself with. No mention as yet is made of his name, perhaps because the historian had given it before, 2Sa 4:4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. Machir Josephus calls him “the principal man of Gilead.” He also showed kindness to David when he fled from Absalom. 2Sa 17:27.
Lodebar A town of Gilead, not far from Mahanaim, and probably identical with Debir of Jos 13:26. Its site is unknown.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.” ’
When David enquired of his whereabouts Ziba informed him that he was under the protection of, and in the house of, Machir, the son of Ammiel (my kinsman is God), in Lo-debar (possibly the Lidebir of Jos 13:26 RV margin). Machir was a very wealthy man living in Transjordan (probably not far from Mahanaim – 2Sa 17:27-29; compare Jos 13:26), who would later prove his genuine loyalty to David by helping to provision him and his men when David himself was fleeing from Absalom (2Sa 17:27-29), an act of generosity and loyalty that could also have landed him in trouble if Absalom had been victorious. But when the news reached his house that Mephibosheth had been summoned into the kings presence he too must have felt some trepidation, both for himself (he would know that he himself could only too easily be accused of harbouring a rival claimant to the throne) and for Mephibosheth. Indeed it is very probable that the depth of his love and admiration for David was increased by this incident, even though David would have been totally unaware that he was casting his bread upon the waters which would in future return manifold (Ecc 11:1).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Sa 9:4 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 Ammiel, in Lodebar.
Ver. 4. Behold, he is in the house of Machir in Lodebar.] Which was a place beyond Jordan. 2Sa 17:27 Here, in a remote part of the country, Mephibosheth secreted and secured himself; little thinking of any court preferment, which yet God was now providing for him: his motto might be,
“ Crede mihi bene qui latuit, bene vixit ”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
Lo-debar = no pasture. Where the sinner is until found by God ‘ s free grace.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Machir: 2Sa 17:27-29
Lodebar: This place appears to have been situated beyond Jordan; and was probably, as Reland supposes, the same as Debir or Lidbir, Jos 13:26.
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 9:4. He is in the house of Machir This Machir appears to have been a generous man, who entertained Mephibosheth out of mere compassion, not of disaffection to David: for afterward we find him kind to David himself, when he fled from Absalom. David now little thought that the time would come when he himself should need his assistance. Let us be forward to give, because we know not what we ourselves may some time want.