Some people de ask that question when they just rush read the story. But for this Bible verse them, na two different men get the name Mephibosheth, and we fit learn something when we check wetin happen.

King Saul of Israel get seven sons and two daughters. The first son wey Saul get na Jonathan. After, one woman wey e name na Rizpah born one son for King Saul wey e name na Mephibosheth. But Jonathan still get one son wey e name na Mephibosheth. So King Saul get pikin wey e name na Mephibosheth, and e get grand pikin wey get the same name.

But, one time, King Saul begin hate Gibeon people wey de live among Israel people and e try to kill all of them. And e fit don kill some of them. This kind thing really dey bad. Why? Na because for time of Joshua, people wey de rule for Israel make one agreement of peace with Gibeon people.—Josh. 9:3-27.

That agreement still dey for time of King Saul. But the king no keep the agreement because e try to kill all Gibeon people. This thing wey Saul try to do make “Saul and e family get blood for their hand.” (2 Sam. 21:1) At last, David become king. Some Gibeon people wey still dey alive tell David about this serious bad thing. To pay for this wicked thing wey Saul do and to make Jehovah bless the land again, David ask them wetin they want make e do. Gibeon people no ask for money. Instead, they talk say make they give them seven sons of the man wey “plan to destroy” them and make they kill the seven sons. (Num. 35:30, 31) David give them wetin they want.—2 Sam. 21:2-6.

That time, Saul and Jonathan don die for war, but Jonathan pikin wey e name na Mephibosheth still dey alive. Something happen when Mephibosheth dey small and so e no fit waka again. And e no join e grandpapa to attack Gibeon people. David and Jonathan don get agreement to be friends. And Jonathan children go gain from this agreement. Mephibosheth dey among this children. (1 Sam. 18:1; 20:42) Bible talk say: “[David] the king show pity for Mephibosheth wey be the son of Jonathan wey be the son of Saul, because of the promise wey [they] promise each other for front of Jehovah.”—2 Sam. 21:7.

Even with that one, David still do the thing wey Gibeon people talk. E give them two sons wey Saul get and the name of one of them na Mephibosheth. E still give them five grandsons wey Saul get. (2 Sam. 21:8, 9) This thing wey David do end the problem wey this sin don cause for the land.

This thing wey happen no be just story. God law dey clear. E say: “Make wuna no kill children for wetin their papa them do.” (Deut. 24:16) Jehovah no for allow the thing wey they do the two children and five grandchildren of Saul if to say their hand dey clean. That law still talk say: “Wuna go kill person only because of e own sin.” E fit be say this seven sons wey they kill, join for some way as Saul try to kill all Gibeon people. Because of this one, the seven of them pay for the bad wey they do.

We learn something for this story. They fit tell person make e do something wey no good. But make the person no feel say because e receive direction to do the thing, then this one mean say e hand dey clean. Bible talk say: “Arrange the road wey your legs de pass, and everything wey you de do go balance well.”—Prov. 4:24-27; Eph. 5:15.