must have maintained a fierce loyalty to the house of Saul. Our Machir is likely to have shared this sentiment, and it is not surprising to find him harboring the Saulid scion Meribbaal. Nevertheless, Machir will eventually become a supporter of David (17:27). Was he won over by David’s “loyalty” to Meribbaal (cf. Sakenfeld 1978:89 n. 114), or is David’s surprising support in Transjordan to be explained in some other way? See the COMMENT on § XX. Lo-debar. A city in northern Transjordan, possibly
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