שמואל ב, פרק י״ט, פסוק כ״ז

Standing before King David, Mephibosheth must explain his troubling absence during the recent rebellion. He reveals a painful story of betrayal, explaining that his failure to join the king was not an act of disloyalty, but the result of his servant's deception. The servant had tricked him and departed without his knowledge [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Mephibosheth’s original intention was to prepare his saddle and ride out to accompany the king [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He had specifically planned to ride a female donkey for this journey [רד״ק]. However, because he was lame and unable to walk like an ordinary person, he was entirely dependent on his servant for assistance [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. When the servant abandoned him and went ahead alone, Mephibosheth was left completely helpless, physically unable to follow the king on his own [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].

The servant's treachery went beyond physical abandonment; it also involved spreading malicious lies and slander. Despite this, Mephibosheth deliberately chooses not to mount a lengthy defense against these false accusations. He trusts that the king is endowed with superior wisdom and will recognize the truth independently. Furthermore, he avoids offering excessive apologies. He does not want to give the impression that his defense is merely a calculated attempt to convince the king to return his confiscated land. Instead, he gracefully accepts his situation, leaving any future decisions entirely to the king's good favor [מלבי״ם].