1 Samuel 20

1And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what mine iniquity? and what my sin before your father, that he seeketh my life? 2And he said unto him, Elohim forbid; you shall not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it not . 3And David sware moreover, and said, your father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in your eyes; and he says, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly the Yahuah liveth, and your soul liveth, but a step between me and death. 4Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever your soul desireth, I will even do for you. 5And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third at even. 6If your father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7If he say thus, well; your servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, be sure that evil is determined by him. 8Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant; for you hast brought your servant into a covenant of the Yahuah with you: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest you bring me to your father? 9And Jonathan said, Far be it from you: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon you, then would not I tell it you? 10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what your father answer you roughly? 11And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 12And Jonathan said unto David, O Yahuah Elohim of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, the third , and, behold, good toward David, and I then send not unto you, and shew it you; 13The Yahuah do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father you evil, then I will shew it you, and send you away, that you mayest go in peace: and the Yahuah be with you, as he has been with my father. 14And you shall not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Yahuah, that I die not: 15But you shall not cut off your kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the Yahuah has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. 16So Jonathan made with the house of David, , Let the Yahuah even require at the hand of David's enemies. 17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow the new moon: and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19And you hast stayed three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you didst hide thyself when the business was , and shall remain by the stone Ezel. 20And I will shoot three arrows on the side , as though I shot at a mark. 21And, behold, I will send a lad, , Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows on this side of you, take them; then come you: for peace to you, and no hurt; the Yahuah liveth. 22But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows beyond you; go your way: for the Yahuah has sent you away. 23And the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the Yahuah between you and me for ever. 24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat. 25And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. 26Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something has befallen him, he not clean; surely he not clean. 27And it came to pass on the morrow, the second of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, therefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day? 28And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked of me to Bethlehem: 29And he said, Let me go, I pray you; for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he has commanded me : and now, if I have found favour in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table. 30Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, you son of the perverse rebellious , do not I know that you hast chosen the son of Jesse to your own confusion, and unto the confusion of your mother's nakedness? 31For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. therefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. 32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, therefore shall he be slain? what has he done? 33And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. 34So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. 35And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 36And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, not the arrow beyond you? 38And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry to the city. 41as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 42And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Yahuah, saying, The Yahuah be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed for ever. 43And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.