1
And David[H1732]fled[H1272] from Naioth[H5121] in Ramah[H7414], and came[H935] and said[H559]before[H6440]Jonathan[H3083], What have I done?[H6213] what is mine iniquity?[H5771] and what is my sin[H2403]before[H6440] thy father[H1], that he seeketh[H1245] my life?[H5315]
2
And he said[H559] unto him, God forbid[H2486]; thou shalt not die[H4191]: behold, my father[H1] will do[H6213]nothing[H1697] either great[H1419] or small[H6996], but that he will shew[H1540] it me: and why should my father[H1]hide[H5641] this thing[H1697] from me? it is not so.
3
And David[H1732]sware[H7650] moreover, and said[H559], Thy father[H1]certainly[H3045]knoweth[H3045] that I have found[H4672]grace[H2580] in thine eyes[H5869]; and he saith[H559], Let not Jonathan[H3083]know[H3045] this, lest he be grieved[H6087]: but truly[H199] as the LORD[H3068]liveth[H2416], and as thy soul[H5315]liveth[H2416], there is but a step[H6587] between me and death[H4194].
4
Then said[H559]Jonathan[H3083] unto David[H1732], Whatsoever thy soul[H5315]desireth[H559], I will even do[H6213] it for thee.
5
And David[H1732]said[H559] unto Jonathan[H3083], Behold, to morrow[H4279] is the new moon[H2320], and I should not fail[H3427] to sit[H3427] with the king[H4428] at meat[H398]: but let me go[H7971], that I may hide[H5641] myself in the field[H7704] unto the third[H7992] day at even[H6153].
6
If thy father[H1] at all[H6485]miss[H6485] me, then say[H559], David[H1732]earnestly[H7592]asked[H7592] leave of me that he might run[H7323] to Bethlehem[H1035] his city[H5892]: for there is a yearly[H3117]sacrifice[H2077] there for all[H6485] the family[H4940].
7
If he say[H559] thus, It is well[H2896]; thy servant[H5650] shall have peace[H7965]: but if he be very[H2734]wroth[H2734], then be sure[H3045] that evil[H7451] is determined[H3615] by him.
8
Therefore thou shalt deal[H6213]kindly[H2617] with thy servant[H5650]; for thou hast brought[H935] thy servant[H5650] into a covenant[H1285] of the LORD[H3068] with thee: notwithstanding, if there be[H3426] in me iniquity[H5771], slay[H4191] me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring[H935] me to thy father?[H1]
9
And Jonathan[H3083]said[H559], Far be it from thee[H2486]: for if I knew[H3045]certainly[H3045] that evil[H7451] were determined[H3615] by my father[H1] to come[H935] upon thee[H2486], then would not I tell[H5046] it thee?[H2486]
10
Then said[H559]David[H1732] to Jonathan[H3083], Who shall tell[H5046] me? or what if thy father[H1]answer[H6030] thee roughly?[H7186]
11
And Jonathan[H3083]said[H559] unto David[H1732], Come[H3212], and let us go out[H3318] into the field[H7704]. And they went out[H3318]both[H8147] of them into the field[H7704].
12
And Jonathan[H3083]said[H559] unto David[H1732], O LORD[H3068]God[H430] of Israel[H3478], when I have sounded[H2713] my father[H1] about to morrow[H4279] any time[H6256], or the third[H7992] day, and, behold, if there be good[H2895] toward David[H1732], and I then send[H7971] not unto thee, and shew[H1540] it thee;
13
The LORD[H3068]do[H6213]so[H3541] and much more[H3254] to Jonathan[H3083]: but if it please[H3190] my father[H1] to do[H6213] thee evil[H7451], then I will shew[H1540] it thee, and send thee away[H7971], that thou mayest go[H1980] in peace[H7965]: and the LORD[H3068] be with thee, as he hath been with my father[H1].
14
And thou shalt not only while yet[H518] I live[H2416]shew[H6213] me the kindness[H2617] of the LORD[H3068], that I die[H4191] not:
15
But also thou shalt not cut off[H3772] thy kindness[H2617] from my house[H1004]for[H5704]ever[H5769]: no, not when the LORD[H3068] hath cut off[H3772] the enemies[H341] of David[H1732] every one[H376] from the face[H6440] of the earth[H127].
16
So Jonathan[H3083]made[H3772] a covenant with the house[H1004] of David[H1732], saying, Let the LORD[H3068] even require[H1245] it at the hand[H3027] of David[H1732]'s enemies[H341].
17
And Jonathan[H3083] caused David[H1732] to swear[H7650]again[H3254], because he loved[H160] him: for he loved[H157] him as he loved[H157] his own soul[H5315].
18
Then Jonathan[H3083]said[H559] to David[H1732], To morrow[H4279] is the new moon[H2320]: and thou shalt be missed[H6485], because thy seat[H4186] will be empty[H6485].
19
And when[H3117] thou hast stayed three days[H8027], then thou shalt go down[H3381]quickly[H3966], and come[H935] to the place[H4725] where thou didst hide[H5641] thyself when[H3117] the business[H4639] was in hand, and shalt remain[H3427]by[H681] the stone[H68]Ezel[H237].
20
And I will shoot[H3384]three[H7969]arrows[H2671] on the side[H6654] thereof, as though I shot[H7971] at a mark[H4307].
21
And, behold, I will send[H7971] a lad[H5288], saying, Go[H3212], find out[H4672] the arrows[H2671]. If I expressly[H559]say[H559] unto the lad[H5288], Behold, the arrows[H2671] are on this side of thee, take[H3947] them; then come[H935] thou: for there is peace[H7965] to thee, and no hurt[H1697]; as the LORD[H3068]liveth[H2416].
22
But if I say[H559] thus unto the young man[H5958], Behold, the arrows[H2671] are beyond[H1973] thee; go thy way[H3212]: for the LORD[H3068] hath sent thee away[H7971].
23
And as touching the matter[H1697] which thou and I have spoken[H1696] of, behold, the LORD[H3068] be between thee and me for[H5704]ever[H5769].
24
So David[H1732]hid[H5641] himself in the field[H7704]: and when the new moon[H2320] was come, the king[H4428] sat him down[H3427] to eat[H398]meat[H3899].
25
And the king[H4428]sat[H3427] upon his seat[H4186], as at other times[H6471], even upon a seat[H4186] by the wall[H7023]: and Jonathan[H3083]arose[H6965], and Abner[H74]sat[H3427] by Saul's side[H6654], and David's place[H4725] was empty[H6485].
26
Nevertheless Saul[H7586]spake[H1696]not[H1115] any thing[H3972] that day[H3117]: for he thought[H559], Something hath befallen[H4745] him, he is not[H1115]clean[H2889]; surely he is not[H1115]clean[H2889].
27
And it came to pass on the morrow[H4283], which was the second[H8145]day[H3117] of the month[H2320], that David's place[H4725] was empty[H6485]: and Saul[H7586]said[H559] unto Jonathan[H3083] his son[H1121], Wherefore cometh[H935] not the son[H1121] of Jesse[H3448] to meat[H3899], neither yesterday[H8543], nor to day?[H3117]
28
And Jonathan[H3083]answered[H6030]Saul[H7586], David[H1732]earnestly[H7592]asked[H7592] leave of me[H5978] to go to Bethlehem[H1035]:
29
And he said[H559], Let me go[H7971], I pray thee; for our family[H4940] hath a sacrifice[H2077] in the city[H5892]; and my brother[H251], he hath commanded[H6680] me to be there: and now, if I have found[H4672]favour[H2580] in thine eyes[H5869], let me get away[H4422], I pray thee, and see[H7200] my brethren[H251]. Therefore he cometh[H935] not unto the king's table[H7979].
30
Then Saul's anger[H639] was kindled[H2734] against Jonathan[H3083], and he said[H559] unto him, Thou son[H1121] of the perverse[H5753]rebellious[H4780] woman, do not I know[H3045] that thou hast chosen[H977] the son[H1121] of Jesse[H3448] to thine own confusion[H1322], and unto the confusion[H1322] of thy mother's nakedness?[H6172]
31
For as[H3117] long as[H3117] the son[H1121] of Jesse[H3448]liveth[H2425] upon the ground[H127], thou shalt not be established[H3559], nor thy kingdom[H4438]. Wherefore now send[H7971] and fetch[H3947] him unto me, for he shall surely die[H1121].
32
And Jonathan[H3083]answered[H6030]Saul[H7586] his father[H1], and said[H559] unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain?[H4191] what hath he done?[H6213]
33
And Saul[H7586]cast[H2904] a javelin[H2595] at him to smite[H5221] him: whereby Jonathan[H3083]knew[H3045] that it was determined[H3617] of his father[H1] to slay[H4191]David[H1732].
34
So Jonathan[H3083]arose[H6965] from the table[H7979] in fierce[H2750]anger[H639], and did eat[H398] no meat[H3899] the second[H8145]day[H3117] of the month[H2320]: for he was grieved[H6087] for David[H1732], because his father[H1] had done him shame[H3637].
35
And it came to pass in the morning[H1242], that Jonathan[H3083] went out[H3318] into the field[H7704] at the time appointed[H4150] with David[H1732], and a little[H6996]lad[H5288] with him.
36
And he said[H559] unto his lad[H5288], Run[H7323], find out[H4672] now the arrows[H2671] which I shoot[H3384]. And as the lad[H5288]ran[H7323], he shot[H3384] an arrow[H2678]beyond[H5674] him.
37
And when the lad[H5288] was come[H935] to the place[H4725] of the arrow[H2678] which Jonathan[H3083] had shot[H3384], Jonathan[H3083]cried[H7121]after[H310] the lad[H5288], and said[H559], Is not the arrow[H2678]beyond[H1973] thee?
38
And Jonathan[H3083]cried[H7121]after[H310] the lad[H5288], Make speed[H4120], haste[H2363], stay[H5975] not. And Jonathan[H3083]'s lad[H5288] gathered up[H3950] the arrows[H2671], and came[H935] to his master[H113].
39
But the lad[H5288]knew[H3045] not any thing[H3972]: only Jonathan[H3083] and David[H1732]knew[H3045] the matter[H1697].
40
And Jonathan[H3083]gave[H5414] his artillery[H3627] unto his lad[H5288], and said[H559] unto him, Go[H3212], carry[H935] them to the city[H5892].
41
And as soon as the lad[H5288] was gone[H935], David[H1732]arose[H6965] out of a place toward[H681] the south[H5045], and fell[H5307] on his face[H639] to the ground[H776], and bowed[H7812] himself three[H7969]times[H6471]: and they kissed[H5401]one[H376]another[H7453], and wept[H1058]one[H376] with another[H7453], until David[H1732]exceeded[H1431].
42
And Jonathan[H3083]said[H559] to David[H1732], Go[H3212] in peace[H7965], forasmuch as we have sworn[H7650]both[H8147] of us in the name[H8034] of the LORD[H3068], saying[H559], The LORD[H3068] be between me and thee, and between my seed[H2233] and thy seed[H2233]for[H5704]ever[H5769]. And he arose[H6965] and departed[H3212]: and Jonathan[H3083]went[H935] into the city[H5892].