Shmuel I - Chapter 20

1. And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and he came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my transgression and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

2. And he said to him, "Far be it. You shall not die. My father will do nothing, either great or small, that he will not reveal to me. And why should my father conceal this thing from me? It is not (true.)"

3. And David swore further, and said, "Your father knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he said, 'Let not Jonathan know this, lest he become saddened.' But, indeed, as the Lord lives, and by the life of your soul, there is but a step between me and death."

4. And Jonathan said to David, "What your soul will say, I shall do for you."

5. And David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I am accustomed to sit with the king, to eat. And you shall let me go, that I may hide in the field until the evening of the third day.

6. If your father is mindful of me, you shall say, 'David took leave of me to hasten home to Bethlehem, his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.'

7. If he says thus, 'Good,' then it is well with your bondsman, but if he becomes angry, know that the evil has been decided upon by him.

8. And you shall do kindness with your bondsman, for into the covenant of the Lord, have you brought your bondsman with you, and if there be guilt in me, put me to death yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?"

9. And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you. For if I know that the evil has been decided upon by my father to come upon you, would I not tell you that?"

10. And David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me, or what your father will answer you harshly?"

11. And Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out to the field." And both of them went out to the field.

12. And Jonathan said to David, "(By) the Lord God of Israel, that I shall sound out my father at this time on the third morrow, and behold, if it is good for David, will I not send for you then, and reveal it to you?

13. So shall the Lord do to Jonathan and more also, if it pleases my father to (bring) evil upon you, I shall reveal it to you, and I shall send you away, that you may go in peace, and may the Lord be with you as He was with my father.

14. And I shall not ask of you if I am still alive, will you not do kindness of the Lord with me, that I die not?

15. And you shall not discontinue your kindness from my household forever, and not even when the Lord cuts off David's enemies, each man from upon the face of the earth."

16. And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, "And may the Lord demand it from the hand of David's enemies."

17. And Jonathan continued to make David swear, in his love for him, for he loved him the love of his soul.

18. And Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be remembered, for your seat will be vacant.

19. And for three days, you shall hide very well, and you shall come to the place where you hid on the day of work, and you shall stay beside the traveler's stone.

20. And I shall shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a mark.

21. And behold, I shall send the youth, (saying,) 'Go, find the arrows.' If I say to the youth, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you,' take it and come, for it is well with you, and there is nothing the matter, as the Lord lives.

22. But, if I say thus to the youth, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you,' go! For the Lord has sent you away.

23. And (concerning) the matter which we have spoken, I and you, behold, the Lord is between me and you forever."

24. And David hid in the field, and when it was the new moon, Saul sat down to the meal to eat.

25. And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall, and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat down beside Saul, and David's place was vacant.

26. And Saul did not say anything on that day, for he thought, "It is an incident; he is not clean, for he is not clean."

27. And it was, on the morrow of the new moon, the second (day of the month), that David's place was vacant, and Saul said to Jonathan, his son, "Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal either yesterday or today?"

28. And Jonathan answered Saul, "David asked leave of me (to go) to Bethlehem.

29. And he said, 'Let me go away now, for we have a family sacrifice in the city, and he, my brother, commanded me, and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me slip away now, and see my brothers. ' He, therefore, did not come to the king's table."

30. And Saul's wrath was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a straying woman deserving of punishment! Did I not know that you choose the son of Jesse, to your shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

31. For all the days that the son of Jesse is living on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. And now, send and take him to me, for he is condemned to death."

32. And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"

33. And Saul cast the spear upon him to strike him; and Jonathan knew that it had been decided upon by his father, to put David to death.

34. And Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger; and he did not eat any food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved concerning David, for his father had put him to shame.

35. And it was in the morning, that Jonathan went out at David's appointed time, and a small boy was with him.

36. And he said to his boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." The boy ran; and he shot the arrow to cause it to go beyond him.

37. And the lad came up to the place of the arrow, which Jonathan had shot. And Jonathan called after the lad, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"

38. And Jonathan called after the lad, "Quickly, hasten, do not stand!" And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39. And the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40. And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, "Go, bring (them) to the city."

41. The lad departed, and David arose from (a place) toward the south; and he fell upon his face to the ground three times, and prostrated himself three times. And they kissed one another, and wept one with the other, until David exceeded.

42. And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace! (And bear in mind) that we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, 'May the Lord be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.' "