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.

1 SAMUEL 24:21KJV
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1 Samuel 24:21 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 24:21 mean?

1 Samuel 24:21 records Saul asking David to swear by the LORD that David will not wipe out Saul’s descendants or erase Saul’s family name after Saul is gone. Saul wants assurance that David, who is destined to be king, will not destroy his family line.

In this verse, Saul is speaking to David after David has spared Saul’s life in a cave. Saul recognizes that David will become king and, following the customs of the time, fears that his family might be killed to prevent any rival claims. Saul’s request shows his concern for his legacy and his family’s survival, even as he admits David’s future as king.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 24:21

  • שָׁבַע (shava‘, “swear”): This word means to make a solemn oath. Saul is not just asking for a promise but for a binding, sacred commitment before God.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH, “LORD”): Saul invokes the personal name of Israel’s God, making the oath especially serious and binding in their culture.
  • זֶרַע (zera‘, “seed”): This word refers to Saul’s offspring or descendants. Saul’s concern is for the survival of his family line, not just his immediate children.
  • שֵׁם (shem, “name”): In Hebrew culture, a person’s “name” stands for their reputation and legacy. Saul is asking David not to blot out his family’s memory or honor.

Why 1 Samuel 24:21 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Saul, despite his hostility, recognizes David’s future kingship and seeks mercy for his family, highlighting a moment of humility and realism.
  • The request shows the ancient Near Eastern practice where a new king might eliminate the previous king’s descendants to secure the throne, making Saul’s fear historically grounded.
  • Understanding the words for “seed” and “name” reveals Saul’s deep concern for both his family’s physical survival and their lasting reputation, not just their immediate safety.

Where else these words appear

“not” Hebrew H518 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Numbers 14:35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
  • 2 Kings 9:35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

“destroy” Hebrew H8045 · used in 86 verses

  • Genesis 34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
  • Deuteronomy 31:3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
  • Esther 7:4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.