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15 treat my family with this faithful love, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.”

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The king spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth,[a] who was Saul’s grandson, because of the oath David and Jonathan had sworn before the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:7 Mephibosheth is another name for Merib-baal.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.

The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”

Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”

“Where is he?” the king asked.

“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”

So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. His name was Mephibosheth[a]; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”

Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”

“Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:6 Mephibosheth is another name for Merib-baal.

21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”

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