a-le'-jans (mishmereth, "a charge," from shamar, "to keep," 1Ch 12:29): the Revised Version, margin gives as literal meaning, "kept the charge of the house of Saul," which revisers consider figurative for "maintaining their loyalty and fidelity," i.e. "allegiance."
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Allegiance
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr (1915). Public domain, from the CrossWire SWORD module.