Lo-debar

Lo-debar (meaning no pasture or without word) was a town in the territory of Gilead in Transjordan, not far from Mahanaim, north of the Jabbok River. It appears twice in the narrative of David's reign. First, it was the location where Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan, lived in obscurity in the house of Machir son of Ammiel (2 Sam. 9:4–5) until David sent for him to honor his covenant with Jonathan. Second, Machir of Lo-debar was among those who brought provisions—beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, honey, curds, and sheep—to David and his followers when they had fled across the Jordan during Absalom's rebellion (2 Sam. 17:27–29).

Lo-debar illustrates both the geographical scope of the Davidic kingdom's Transjordanian connections and the human drama of loyal subjects during the crisis of Absalom's coup. The name's meaning—no pasture—stands in ironic contrast to the provision its townspeople supplied to a king in exile. It may be identified with Debir (Josh. 13:26).