Don't desert an old friend of your family or visit your relatives when you are in trouble. A friend nearby is better than relatives far away.
Some friends don't help, but a true friend is closer than your own family.
A friend is there to help, in any situation, and relatives are born to share our troubles.
If you are poor, your own relatives reject you, and your friends are worse. When you really need them, they are not there.
Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, also came to meet David. He had missed David so much that he had not taken a bath or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes the whole time David was gone. David asked him, “Why didn't you go with me?”
David had made a promise to Jonathan with the Lord as his witness, so he spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul.
The next morning more than 40 Jewish men got together and vowed that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul.
and I, the Lord, will speak. I was never unfair to your ancestors, but they left me and became worthless by following worthless idols.
After all, you could have killed my whole family and me. But instead, you let me eat at your own table. Your Majesty, what more could I ask?”
If you see a cow or sheep wandering around lost, take the animal back to its owner.