Today's Scripture
Insight
Since Saul was king before David, Saul’s descendants were in the royal bloodline and could be a threat to David’s kingship. When Saul was alive, he saw David as his enemy (1 Samuel 18:29; 19:17) and tried to kill him (see chs. 19–23). But because God had once anointed Saul as king, David refused to harm him (see ch. 24). After Saul died, however, the tension continued with Saul’s son (2 Samuel 2:8–9; 3:1).
It wouldn’t have been surprising if David intended to eliminate Saul’s family, which explains why David had to reassure Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:7). But despite the tensions, David’s true heart was revealed when he showed kindness to someone in the family for the sake of his friend Jonathan (v. 1).
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