⁷ But the king spared ^(A)Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of ^(B)the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

^4 (A)Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came ^(B)from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was ^(C)Mephibosheth.^[a]

¹⁸ So the two of them ^(A)made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

¹⁵ but ^(A)you shall not ^[a]cut off your kindness from my ^[b]house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

³ Then Jonathan and David made a ^(A)covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

¹⁰ You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son ^(A)shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had ^(B)fifteen sons and twenty servants.

⁸ Therefore you shall ^(A)deal kindly with your servant, for ^(B)you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, ^(C)if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”

⁴² Then Jonathan said to David, ^(A)“Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’ ” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

¹⁷ Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; ^(A)for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

²⁵ So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, ^(A)“Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”