So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”
- KJV Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
- NKJV Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.”
- NASB So now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not eliminate my name from my father’s household.”
- NLT Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Saul asks David to swear he will not wipe out his descendants. He seeks mercy for his house from the future king.
Overview
Aware that new dynasties often destroyed the previous king's family, Saul pleads for the preservation of his offspring and name. His request acknowledges David's coming rule and trusts David's proven character. David's later kindness to Mephibosheth shows he honored this oath, displaying covenant faithfulness that mirrors God's steadfast love.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Gen 21:23Now, therefore, swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or descendants. Show to me and to the country in which you reside the same kindness that I have shown to you.”
- 2 Sam 21:6–8let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” “I will give them to you,” said the king.
- 1 Sam 20:14–17And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die,
- Heb 6:16Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.
- Gen 31:48Then Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore the place was called Galeed.
- Gen 31:53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 24:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.