Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, August 30th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

New Life Version

2 Samuel 21:7

But the king kept alive Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because David had made a promise to Saul's son Jonathan before the Lord.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Covenant;   David;   Gibeon;   Mephibosheth;   Oath;   Saul;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gibeonites;   Oaths;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mephibosheth;   Rizpah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gibeon;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Murder;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Gibeah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Adriel;   Armoni;   Beeroth;   Compassion;   Court Systems;   Gibeon;   Mephibosheth;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Haggai;   Israel;   Rizpah;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ransom (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Gibeonites ;   Mephibosheth ;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Heredity;   Mephibosheth;   Salvation;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Atonement;   Crime;   Names (Personal);  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between David and Jonathan, Saul’s son.
Hebrew Names Version
But the king spared Mefivoshet, the son of Yonatan the son of Sha'ul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them, between David and Yonatan the son of Sha'ul.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the sworn oath of Yahweh which was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
English Standard Version
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
New Century Version
But the king protected Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the promise he had made to Jonathan in the Lord 's name.
New English Translation
The king had mercy on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, in light of the Lord 's oath that had been taken between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
Amplified Bible
But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that was between David and Saul's son Jonathan.
New American Standard Bible
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath of the LORD which was between them, between David and Saul's son Jonathan.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But the King had compassion on Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan the sonne of Saul, because of the Lordes othe, that was betweene them, euen betweene Dauid and Ionathan the sonne of Saul.
Legacy Standard Bible
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of Yahweh which was between them, between David and Saul's son Jonathan.
Contemporary English Version
David had made a promise to Jonathan with the Lord as his witness, so he spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul.
Complete Jewish Bible
But the king spared M'fivoshet, the son of Y'honatan the son of Sha'ul, because of the oath before Adonai between David and Y'honatan the son of Sha'ul.
Darby Translation
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Jehovah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
Easy-to-Read Version
But the king protected Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth. Jonathan was Saul's son, and David had made a promise in the Lord 's name to Jonathan. So the king did not let them hurt Mephibosheth.
George Lamsa Translation
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORDS oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
Good News Translation
But because of the sacred promise that he and Jonathan had made to each other, David spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul.
Literal Translation
But the king spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth the son of Saul because of the oath of Jehovah that was between them, between David and Jonathan, the son of Saul.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Howbeit the kynge spared Mephiboseth ye sonne of Ionathas ye sonne of Saul, because of the ooth of the LORDE yt was betwene them: namely, betwene Dauid & Ionathas the sonne of Saul.
American Standard Version
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Jehovah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
Bible in Basic English
But the king did not give up Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the Lord's oath made between David and Jonathan, the son of Saul.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the king had compassion on Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathan the sonne of Saul, because of the Lordes oth that was betweene them, euen betweene Dauid & Ionathan the sonne of Saul.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 (1611)
But the king spared Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan the sonne of Saul, because of the Lords othe that was between them, betweene Dauid, and Ionathan the sonne of Saul.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But the king spared Memphibosthe son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, even between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the kyng sparide Myphibosech, sone of Jonathas, sone of Saul, for the ooth of the Lord, that was bitwixe Dauid and bitwixe Jonathas, sone of Saul.
Young's Literal Translation
and the king hath pity on Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, son of Saul, because of the oath of Jehovah that [is] between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul;
Update Bible Version
But the king spared Mephibaal, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
World English Bible
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
The king spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who was Saul's grandson, because of the oath David and Jonathan had sworn before the Lord .
New Revised Standard
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But the king had pity upon Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, Saul's son, - because of the oath of Yahweh that was between them, between David and Jonathan, Saul's son.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king spared Miphiboseth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord, that had been between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
Revised Standard Version
But the king spared Mephib'osheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the oath of the LORD which was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
THE MESSAGE
The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the promise David and Jonathan had spoken before God . But the king selected Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons that Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, plus the five sons that Saul's daughter Merab had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. He turned them over to the Gibeonites who hanged them on the mountain before God —all seven died together. Harvest was just getting underway, the beginning of the barley harvest, when they were executed.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the LORD which was between them, between David and Saul's son Jonathan.

Contextual Overview

1 While David was king there was a time without food for three years. David went to the Lord. The Lord said, "It is because of Saul and his house of blood, for he put the Gibeonites to death." 2 So the king called the Gibeonites. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the people who were left of the Amorites. The sons of Israel had made an agreement with them. But Saul had wanted to kill them because he thought so much of the sons of Israel and Judah.) 3 David said to the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? How can I pay for the sin, so you may bring good to the land of the Lord?" 4 The Gibeonites said to him, "We will take no silver or gold from Saul or his family. And it is not for us to put any man to death in Israel." David said, "I will do for you whatever you say." 5 So they said to the king, "Saul destroyed us and planned to keep us from staying in any land of Israel. 6 Let seven men from his sons be given to us. We will hang them before the Lord at Gibeon on the Lord's mountain." And the king said, "I will give them." 7 But the king kept alive Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because David had made a promise to Saul's son Jonathan before the Lord. 8 The king took the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Armoni and Mephibosheth, whom she had born to Saul. And he took the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9 He gave them to the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord. The seven of them died together. They were put to death in the first days of gathering time, when the barley was ready to gather.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Mephibosheth: 2 Samuel 4:4, 2 Samuel 9:10, 2 Samuel 16:4, 2 Samuel 19:25

because: 1 Samuel 18:3, 1 Samuel 20:8, 1 Samuel 20:15, 1 Samuel 20:17, 1 Samuel 20:42, 1 Samuel 23:18

Reciprocal: Leviticus 5:4 - to do evil Joshua 2:17 - General Joshua 6:22 - as ye sware unto her Joshua 9:18 - had sworn Proverbs 18:24 - that hath Proverbs 27:10 - own

Cross-References

Genesis 21:11
And the thing brought much sorrow to Abraham because of his son.
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, "Do not be full of sorrow because of the boy and the woman who serves you. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you. For your children and all their children's children after you will be given a name through Isaac.
Genesis 21:32
So they made an agreement at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the head of his army, returned to the land of the Philistines.
Genesis 21:34
And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for many days.
Numbers 23:23
For there is no special thing that has been shown against Jacob. Nothing has told of a bad future for Israel. Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘Look what God has done!'
Psalms 86:8
There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord. And there are no works like Yours.
Psalms 86:10
For You are great and do great things. You alone are God.
Isaiah 49:21
Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has given birth to these for me? My children were taken from me, and I could not give birth. I was sent away and had no place of my own. Who has brought up these children? See, I was left alone. Where have these come from?'"
Isaiah 66:8
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be born all at once? As soon as Zion's pains came, she gave birth to her sons.
Ephesians 3:10
This was done so the great wisdom of God might be shown now to the leaders and powers in the heavenly places. It is being done through the church.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul,.... As they did not name particular persons, only required seven sons, it was at the option of the king what sons to deliver to them, and therefore kept back Mephibosheth, who is thus described, to distinguish him from a son of Saul's of the same name, after mentioned:

because of the Lord's oath that [was] between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul; not merely or only out of affection to Mephibosheth, but because of the oath, that he might not be guilty of the same crime Saul was in slaying the Gibeonites.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord’s oath - The calamity brought upon Israel by Saul’s breach of the oath to the Gibeonites would make David doubly careful in the matter of his own oath to Jonathan.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile