What Does 2 Samuel 9:7 Mean in the King James?
And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
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
David’s name (דָּוִד, Dāwīd, “beloved”) becomes the shape of the promise: faithful love returns what was lost and makes belonging continual.
THE MEANING
Fear is met by more than reassurance: faithful love restores material ground and offers a place that endures. You are addressed as someone whose loss does not cancel your belonging; care becomes provision, access, and ongoing welcome. The table makes that welcome concrete, with bread and a seat held open.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie this undoes is that a serious loss leaves you permanently outside the life and provision you once had.
THE ROOT
חֶסֶד
chesed
GROWS FROM
חסד
Faithful, committed care expressed through a relationship.
English “kindness” can sound like a passing gesture, while chesed carries the weight of faithful love that remains. Here it takes shape as restored land and a place at the table that continues.
ALSO GROWS
ḥāsîd: A faithful or devoted person.
חָסִיד
This branch describes a person through the faithful care that marks their relationships.
chasdei: Acts or expressions of faithful love.
חַסְדֵי
It makes chesed visible in concrete acts, like returning what was lost and sharing provision.
וַהֲשִׁיבֹתִי
va-hashivoti
GROWS FROM
שׁוּב
Turn back, return.
“restore” in this verse is va-hashivoti. The word for restoring carries the movement of return: what has been displaced comes back into its place. The promise reaches beyond compensation toward the return of land, continuity, and belonging.
ALSO GROWS
shuv: To turn back or return.
שׁוּב
The land is not merely replaced; it is returned.
teshuvah: A turning or return.
תְּשׁוּבָה
This branch echoes restoration as a movement back toward what was lost.
שֻׁלְחָן
shulḥan
GROWS FROM
שלח
Send forth, release, extend outward.
The table carries the image of provision extended outward for someone to receive. Here that extension is continual: welcome becomes a recurring place at the table, not a single moment of mercy.
ALSO GROWS
shalach: To send forth, release, or stretch out the hand.
שָׁלַח
The table shares the root’s image of something being extended outward to another.
Shiloach: Sent forth; the name of the healing waters of Shiloam.
שִׁלֹחַ
As sent waters restore sight, provision extended outward here restores a place in daily life.
THE PATTERN
Faithful welcome becomes tangible when provision is extended into a lasting place at the table.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,THE THREAD
But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.The Hebrew word behind “kindness” is chesed in both verses. Here, faithful love for Jonathan’s house takes concrete form in returned land and a place at the table that continues.
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