1 Samuel 20:1-13 ▼

1 Then David (beloved) fled from Naioth (habitations) in Ramah (hill). He came to Jonathan (YHWH has given) and asked, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?”

2 “Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!”

3 But David (beloved) again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan (YHWH has given) must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD {YHWH} lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”

4 Then Jonathan (YHWH has given) said to David (beloved), “Whatever you desire, I will do for you.”

5 So David (beloved) told him (YHWH has given), “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon (the New Moon feast), and I am supposed to dine with the king. Instead, let me go and hide in the field until the third evening from now.

6 If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David (beloved) urgently requested my permission to hurry to Bethlehem (house of bread), his hometown, because there is an annual sacrifice for his whole clan.’

7 If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.

8 Therefore show kindness to your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD {YHWH}. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?”

9 “Never!” Jonathan (YHWH has given) replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”

10 Then David (beloved) asked Jonathan (YHWH has given), “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

11 “Come,” he (YHWH has given) replied (beloved), “let us go out to the field.” So the two of them went out into the field,

12 and Jonathan (YHWH has given) said (beloved), “By the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you?

13 But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD {YHWH} punish me (YHWH has given), and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father.