שמואל ב, פרק ט׳, פסוק ד׳

King David seeks the exact whereabouts of Saul's descendant, prompting a revealing exchange with Ziba. Answering the king's request for a precise location [מצודת ציון], Ziba states that the descendant is inside the home of Machir [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He mentions this specific house because it serves as Mephibosheth's hiding place [מלבי״ם].

Ziba further notes that the home is located in Lo-debar. The primary approach among commentators is that this is simply the geographical name of the town. However, there is a subtle layer of malice in Ziba's answer. He uses the name of the town to quietly slander Mephibosheth to the king, hinting that the hidden descendant is an empty man devoid of any Torah knowledge. Yet, when David eventually brings Mephibosheth into his court, the king discovers the exact opposite, finding a man completely filled with the wisdom of the Torah [אלשיך].