2 Samuel 21:7 Meaning and Explanation
“But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David spares Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, out of faithfulness to the oath he had sworn to Jonathan before the LORD.
What Does 2 Samuel 21:7 Mean?
Amid the demand for seven of Saul's house, David remembers another oath, the covenant of love he had sworn to Jonathan. For that promise's sake he protects Mephibosheth, Jonathan's surviving son. One sworn word is honored even as another is being answered.
Where Saul broke his oath, David keeps his. The covenant between David and Jonathan reaches across years and even past Jonathan's death to shelter his child. Here is a glimpse of covenant faithfulness that protects the undeserving, a faint echo of the steadfast love by which God remembers His promises and spares those who shelter under them.
2 Samuel 21:7 in the Original Language
shebuah (שְׁבוּעָה), 'oath' -- a sworn promise made before God, treated as binding and sacred.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 21:7
What does 2 Samuel 21:7 mean?
David spares Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, out of faithfulness to the oath he had sworn to Jonathan before the LORD.