1And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”
2And Jonathan said to him,” God forbid; you shall not die: look, my father will do nothing either great or small, without telling me: and why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”
3And David swore, and further said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes; and he says, ‘Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved’; but as sure as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death”.
4Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you desire, I will do for you”.
5And David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at the table; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the evening of the third day.
6If your father misses me at all, then say, “David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem, his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family”.
7If he says, ‘It is well’; your servant shall have peace: but if he is very angry, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
8Therefore, you shall deal kindly with your servant (David); for you have brought your me into a covenant of the LORD with you: but if there is iniquity in me, slay me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?”
9And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I knew certainly that my father was determined to bring evil upon you, then would not I tell you?”
10Then said David to Jonathan, “Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly?”
11And Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field”. And they both went out into the field.
12And Jonathan said to David, “As the LORD God of Israel is my witness, when I have sounded my father any time tomorrow, or the third day, if there is good toward David, and I do not then send and show it you,
13The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will show that to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace; and the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.
14And you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I yet live, that I die not,
15But also you shall not stop your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the LORD has cut off the enemies of David, everyone from the face of the earth”.
16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies”.
17And Jonathan asked David to swear again, because he loved him; as he loved his own soul.
18Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the new moon; and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty.
19And when you have stayed three days, then you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone, Ezel.
20And I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.
21And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you come; for there is peace to you, and no harm, as the LORD lives.
22But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you’, go your way; for the LORD has sent you away.
23And as touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between you and me forever”.
24So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon had come, the king sat down to eat.
25And the king was seated by the wall, as at other times; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
26Nevertheless Saul made no mention of it that day; for he thought, “Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean”.
27And on the second day of the month, David's place was empty; and Saul said to Jonathan, his son, “Why comes not the son of Jesse to the table, neither yesterday, nor today?”
28And Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem;
29Saying, “Let me go, I pray you; for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother has commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren. Therefore, he comes not to the king's table.”
30Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of the perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?
31For as long as the son of Jesse lives, you shall never be established, nor your kingdom. Now send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die.”
32And Jonathan answered Saul, his father, “Why should he be slain? What has he done?”
33And Saul threw a javelin at Jonathan to smite him; by which Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.
34So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food 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 (of the third day), that Jonathan went out into the field at the time agreed to with David, and a little lad with him.
36And he said to his lad, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot”. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37And when the lad had come to the place of the arrow had been shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, “Is 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 anything; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40And Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to his lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city”.
41And as soon as the lad had gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, bowed himself three times; and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David controlled himself.
42And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, in as much as we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, “The LORD be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed forever”. And David arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city. Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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