2 Samuel 21:7

7 And the king spared Mephibosheth (But the king spared Mephibosheth), the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, for the oath of the Lord, that was betwixt David and Jonathan, the son of Saul.

2 Samuel 21:7 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 21:7

But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son
of Saul
As they did not name particular persons, only required seven sons, it was at the option of the king what sons to deliver to them, and therefore kept back Mephibosheth, who is thus described, to distinguish him from a son of Saul's of the same name, after mentioned:

because of the Lord's oath that [was] between them, between David and
Jonathan the son of Saul;
not merely or only out of affection to Mephibosheth, but because of the oath, that he might not be guilty of the same crime Saul was in slaying the Gibeonites.

2 Samuel 21:7 In-Context

5 And they said to the king, We ought so to do away the man, that defouled and oppressed us wickedly, that not one soothly be left of his generation in all the coasts of Israel. (And they said to the king, We want to completely do away the man, who defiled and wickedly oppressed us, so that truly not one of his generation be left in all the coasts of Israel.)

6 Seven men of his sons be given to us, that we crucify them to the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, sometime the chosen man of the Lord. And the king said, I shall give them to you. (Let seven of his kinsmen be given to us, so that we can hang them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, who was, at one time, the Lord's chosen man. And the king said, I shall give them to you.)

7 And the king spared Mephibosheth (But the king spared Mephibosheth), the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, for the oath of the Lord, that was betwixt David and Jonathan, the son of Saul.

8 And so the king took (the) two sons of Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, which she childed to Saul, Armoni, and (another) Mephibosheth; and he took [the] five sons of Michal, the daughter of Saul (and he took the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab), which she engendered to Adriel, the son of Barzillai, that was of (the) Meholathites.

9 And he gave them (up) into the hands of (the) Gibeonites, and they did those seven sons upon (a) cross in an hill before the Lord (and they hanged those seven kinsmen on a hill before the Lord); and (so) these seven fell down slain together in the days of the first reap(ing), when the reaping of barley began.