1 Samuel 20:15

15 thou shalt not cut off thy mercy from my house for ever. When the LORD has cut off one by one the enemies of David from the face of the earth, remove even Jonathan from thy house if I fail thee and require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

1 Samuel 20:15 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:15

But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house
for ever
His family should partake of it as well as himself:

no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David, everyone
from the face of the earth;
Saul and his sons, and everyone that should oppose his settlement in the kingdom: Jonathan's meaning is, that the covenant between them should not be only between them personally, but include their posterity, as follows.

1 Samuel 20:15 In-Context

13 the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do thee evil, then I will show it to thee and send thee away that thou may go in peace; and the LORD be with thee as he has been with my father.

14 And if I live, thou shalt show me the mercy of the LORD, but if I am dead,

15 thou shalt not cut off thy mercy from my house for ever. When the LORD has cut off one by one the enemies of David from the face of the earth, remove even Jonathan from thy house if I fail thee and require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David.

17 And Jonathan swore unto David again because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.