Joel M Bradshaw

7The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul.–2 Samuel 21

1. There was a long famine and David went to God for answers.
2. God shared that the previous king, Saul, had killed Gibeonites.
3. Back in Joshua 9, the Gibeonites tricked Israel into sparing them as they conquered the Promised Land. Joshua and the leaders made an oath on Yahweh’s Name to not kill them.
4. Though we are only told about the killing here in this chapter, Saul killing the Gibeonites thus defamed God.
5. David sought to make amends and the Gibeonites required seven of Saul’s descendants to die.
6. Mephibosheth being crippled would have been a politically-crafty choice for one amongst those seven, but David refused to go back on his word to Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan.
7. When your sin comes to your attention, humbly own it. Offer amends when appropriate to do so. This practice continues to change my life.–JMB