What Does 2 Samuel 7:15 Mean in the King James?
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same Hebrew verb describes faithful love not departing from him and being removed from Saul, making the contrast the verse’s central promise.
THE MEANING
This verse holds the reader inside a distinction: faithful love can remain even when correction is real. What is withdrawn from one is not automatically withdrawn from another; the promise here is a love that does not turn aside.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that correction means faithful love has left: the preceding verse speaks of discipline, while this verse promises that this love will not be removed.
THE ROOT
סוּר
sûr
GROWS FROM
ס־ו־ר
sur
The root סוּר (sur) means to turn aside, depart, or remove.
“depart / took / put away” in this verse is sûr. The words translated “depart,” “took,” and “put away” all come from סוּר (sur, turn aside or remove). English sounds like separate actions, but Hebrew makes the line hinge on one movement: what is promised to remain with him is what was taken from Saul.
ALSO GROWS
yāsûr: will turn aside or depart
יָסוּר
This is the form behind “shall not depart,” picturing the promised love as not turning away.
hăsīrōtî: I removed or took away
הֲסִרֹתִי
This form appears in the references to Saul, making the repeated verb a direct contrast with what will not depart.
חֶסֶד
ḥesed
GROWS FROM
ח־ס־ד
ḥ-s-d
The root ח־ס־ד (ḥ-s-d) carries the idea of loyal kindness and steadfast love.
The word rendered “mercy” is חֶסֶד (ḥesed, faithful love): loyal care that holds a relationship. Its word family also describes a faithful person and the act of showing oneself loyal, so the verse presents this love as enduring commitment rather than a passing mood.
ALSO GROWS
tithḥassad: show yourself loyal or faithful
תִּתְחַסָּד
This verb from the same root shows chesed as loyalty expressed in action.
ḥāsîd: faithful or loyal one; devout person
חָסִיד
This word describes someone marked by the same quality of faithful loyalty named in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Faithful love remains even when discipline, loss, or upheaval are named openly.
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.THE THREAD
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.Psalm 89:33 uses חֶסֶד (ḥesed, faithful love), the same word translated “mercy” here, and says this love will not be taken away. The echo sharpens the contrast with Saul: removal is named, but faithful love remains with the one addressed.
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