A great reason to study the Bible on your own is what happened to me because of a place called Lo Debar (2 Samuel 9). A preacher had taught about Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, son of King Saul, who was living in Lo Debar. (see Lo Debar-Why Hide a Grandson There?) ( see Lo Debar – Another Look this is a look at all of the people in the story.)
Lo Debar means “no pasture or no communication”. The negative of the place was so emphasized that I have for 20 years thought that it was a “dump”. Well, another preacher taught about it and did not highlight the “dump” idea, so I knew it was time to study. Part of the study was to go look on Google maps to find where it was, that was fun and it gave me an idea why it may have been called that. One of David’s benefactors (Makir of Ammiel, 2 Sam. 17:27) was from Lo Debar and he brought to David as he ran from Absalom pots, vessels, and bedding, which is what was made in Lo Debar. On further study it seems that 
Lo Debar may have been a gateway to Gilead and important in its protection, so it seems that it may not have been a “dump.” Resources: Atlas of the Bible by Collins, Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance, and Easton’s Bible Dictionary
[…] https://ificouldteachthebible.com/2011/09/11/a-place-called-lo-debar/ […]
By Bible 911 – 2 Samuel | Mark's Bible Study on June 1, 2025 at 12:02 am
[…] bank of the Jordan River Valley (Numbers 21:33, Deuteronomy 4:43). One of its “guard cities” is Lo Debar. Ramoth Gilead was also a refuge city (Joshua 21:38). This area is also known as the Bashan, word […]
By 2 Kings 9 11 | Mark's Bible Study on July 1, 2024 at 12:02 am
[…] H 4648 – exterminating the idol. I believe he was sent to Lo Debar per instructions from Jonathan and that he was with family who took care of him. He was a grandson […]
By The Names in 2 Samuel 9 | Mark's Bible Study on May 27, 2024 at 12:07 pm
[…] 2 Samuel 8.13 and 1 Chronicles 18.12 tell the story of David/his army defeating 18,000 Edomites. A strange note in Samuel said he became famous after this victory even though the preceding twelve verses tell of much larger and very powerful enemies that fell to David. It would be a hard push to make a lot of this just because it has an eighteen in the verse. But Edom was an enemy and it seems that there was some level of freedom associated with the victory. A more notable thing happened after this, David renewed his interest in Jonathan and found Mephibosheth at Lo Debar. […]
By The Number Eighteen in The Bible | Mark's Bible Study on September 21, 2017 at 8:24 pm
Mark, your comment that after several years of reading the Bible, we see things that were not there before is funny and wonderfully true.
By Carolyn on March 15, 2013 at 7:21 pm
I had always heard LoDebar was a desert! Amazing how we can get wrong ideas if we aren’t careful. I just heard a teaching tape on Revelation say that the flames of fire in Rev 4:5 were the churches – this was supposed to be proof that the church is raptured before the tribulation. Actually we are told in Revelation 1:20 that the lampstands are the churches but in 4:5 it says the flames are the seven Spirits of God. The Greek words aren’t even the same so how he got that one, I have no idea! We really need to be careful but the good news is we can know truth if we will look for it.
By Lois on October 8, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Look up desert and wilderness in a concordance, deserts (in the NIV) can support life like grazing sheep while a wilderness is the barren place.
By Mark on October 13, 2011 at 12:51 am
Enjoyed this….tell me more!
By Melanie on September 15, 2011 at 5:28 pm
If we hear a good speaker make a point we may have reason to accept it on face value. However this can lead to some problems in not seeing the full picture . Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth. Even thougt it took 20 years He is still at work in his faithfulness.
A couple of mounths ago I was sharing with a man that Christ in me was my hope of glory. At that time he asked me how many times I asked the Lord to forgive me of amy sin I may have comitted. I said not as often as I SHOULD. At that time he told me by doing this I was crucifying the Son of Man a new and could loose my salvation. Talk about good news ( not ) . The bad part he was serious! Looked up the verse to see how any one could get that out of what was written.The bad part I had to go back and pick the reaplacement part that was ordered. It got worse the second trip. Thank God for His word of truth.
By Luther Johanningmeier on September 12, 2011 at 2:35 am
Sorry that happened. I had someone say the same thing to me many years ago, it did not sound right then and it still does not.
By ificouldteachthebible on September 20, 2011 at 2:32 am
I feel you. Thank God for truth. 🙂
By Versandra Kennebrew on January 4, 2016 at 4:12 pm