2 Samuel 9 · a question people ask
David calls Saul Mephibosheth's father. Wasn't Saul his grandfather?
Yes. The chapter says plainly, "Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul" (9:6). Yet David promises to restore "all the land of Saul your father" (9:7), and calls him Ziba's "master’s son" (9:9), where Ziba is "Saul’s servant" (9:9). Later he is even called "Mephibosheth the son of Saul" (19:24). The Hebrew words allow this. Brown-Driver-Briggs lists "ancestor" among the senses of av, father, and Strong's says ben, son, is used "in the widest sense", "including grandson". The same verse keeps both: "for Jonathan your father’s sake", and "all the land of Saul your father" (9:7).
The verses
“Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, “Mephibosheth?” He answered, “Behold, your servant!” David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.””
“Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s son.”
“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.”