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Easy-to-Read Version

2 Samuel 21:7

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.

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.
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 Life Bible
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.
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 famine that continued for three years. So David prayed to the Lord . And the Lord answered, "Saul and his family of murderers are the reason for the famine, because he killed the Gibeonites." 2 (The Gibeonites were not Israelites. They were a group of Amorites. The Israelites had promised not to hurt them, but Saul tried to kill the Gibeonites. He did this because of his strong feelings for the people of Israel and Judah.) King David called the Gibeonites together and talked to them. 3 David said to the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you? What can I do to take away Israel's sin, so that you can bless the Lord 's people?" 4 The Gibeonites said to David, "There isn't enough gold and silver for Saul's family to pay for what they did. But we don't have the right to kill anyone else in Israel." David said, "Well, what can I do for you?" 5 The Gibeonites said to King David, "The person who plotted against us was Saul. He is the one who tried to destroy all our people living in the land of Israel. 6 Give us seven of Saul's sons. Saul was the Lord 's chosen king, so we will hang his sons in front of the Lord on Mount Gibeah of Saul." King David said, "All right, I will give them to you." 7 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. 8 David gave them Armoni and Mephibosheth. These were the sons of Saul and Rizpah. Saul also had a daughter named Merab who was married to Adriel son of Barzillai, from Meholah. David took the five sons of Merab and Adriel. 9 David gave these seven men to the Gibeonites who then brought them to Mount Gibeah and hanged them in front of the Lord . Those seven men died together in the spring, during the first days of the barley harvest.

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
This upset Abraham very much. He was worried about his son Ishmael.
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, "Don't worry about the boy and the slave woman. Do what Sarah wants. Your descendants will be those who come through Isaac.
Genesis 21:32
So Abraham and Abimelech made an agreement at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, his military commander, went back to the country of the Philistines.
Genesis 21:34
And Abraham lived as a stranger for a long time in the country of the Philistines.
Numbers 23:23
There is no power that can defeat the people of Jacob. There is no magic that can stop the Israelites. People will say this about Jacob and the Israelites: ‘Look at the great things God did!'
Psalms 86:8
My Lord, there is no God like you. No one can do what you have done.
Psalms 86:10
You are great and do amazing things. You and you alone are God.
Isaiah 49:21
Then you will say to yourself, ‘Who gave me all these children? I was sad and lonely. My children were taken away. They were gone. So who gave me these children? Look, I was the only one left. Where did all these children come from?'"
Ephesians 3:10
His purpose was that all the rulers and powers in the heavenly places will now know the many different ways he shows his wisdom. They will know this because of the church.
2 Thessalonians 1:10
This will happen on the day when the Lord Jesus comes to receive honor with his holy people. He will be admired among all who have believed. And this includes you because you believed what we told you.

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.


 
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