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.”
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.
- BSB 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.”
- 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 by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
- 2 Sam 21:6–8let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh.” The king said, “I will give them.”
- 1 Sam 20:14–17You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of Yahweh, that I not die;
- Heb 6:16For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
- Gen 31:48Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed
- Gen 31:53The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.
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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.