Dividing a Candy Bar Fairly

Reflections on 2 Samuel 19:24-30

When we were young, Mom would occasionally divide a candy bar between my brother and me. When she did, we often argued over which one got the biggest piece. I am sure this annoyed Mom because when we were old enough to cut the candy bar ourselves, one of us cut the candy bar, and the other got first choice. Something about that process eliminated the arguing. King David had to settle a conflict between two of his subjects: Mephibosheth and Ziba. He divided Saul's lands between them equally. We may never know exactly what dividing the lands accomplished, but this we do know,

As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
-- Proverbs 25:3

SUSPICION. Like Shimei, Mephibosheth rushed out with the other Benjamites to meet the king at the Jordan River. Also like Shimei, he had reason to fear the king's return. As a sign of distress and sorrow, he had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes since David fled the city. David immediately asked him, "Why didn't you go with me when I fled Jerusalem?" With the exception of his personal agents whom he had left in the city, all David's household had fled with him. Because Mephibosheth ate at David's table, he expected Mephibosheth to go with him. Accordingly, David was suspicious when Mephibosheth failed to do so.

EXPLANATION. Mephibosheth explained that he had desired to go with David, and had even asked Ziba to bring his saddled donkey for him to ride, but Ziba had misled him and never returned with his donkey. Not only that, but Ziba had gone to the king and slandered Mephibosheth, saying that he was hoping to become king in place of David.

DILEMMA. David remembered Ziba's accusations against Mephibosheth, and he remembered that he had given all of Mephibosheth's lands to Ziba. So, who was telling the truth? David seemed annoyed and refused to make further investigation. He abruptly directed that the lands be divided between Ziba and Mephibosheth. Was this a judgment or a test? If a judgment, it seems unfair. Was David afraid to alienate Ziba and the other Benjamites who had come to support him? If a test, like Solomon's command to divide the living son and to give a half to each of the women (1 Kings 3:16-28), it lacks a conclusion. Whether judgment or test, Mephibosheth's response was important. When he said, "Let Ziba take everything now that you have returned safely," he made it clear that he had no personal ambitions. Like the woman who begged Solomon to spare the child, so Mephibosheth wished to preserve David's kingdom. Saul's family supported David and would never entertain royal ambitions. It played no role in the developing rift between the house of Joseph and the tribe of Judah which would become apparent soon.