1 Samuel 20:1-22 ▼

1 And David fled from Navath in Rama, and comes into the presence of Jonathan; and he said, What have I done, and what is my fault, and wherein have I sinned before thy father, that he seeks my life?

2 And Jonathan said to him, Far be it from thee: thou shalt not die: behold, my father will not do any thing great or small without discovering it to me; and why should my father hide this matter from me? This thing is not so .

3 And David answered Jonathan, and said, Thy father knows surely that I have found grace in thy sight, and he said, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he refuse his consent: but as the Lord lives and thy soul lives, as I said, the space is filled up between me and death.

4 And Jonathan said to David, What does thy soul desire, and what shall I do for thee.

5 And David said to Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I shall not on any account sit down to eat, but thou shalt let me go, and I will hide in the plain till the evening.

6 And if thy father do in anywise enquire for me, then shalt thou say, David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethleem his city, for there is there, a yearly sacrifice for all the family.

7 If he shall say thus, Well, - all is safe for thy servant: but if he shall answer harshly to thee, know that evil is determined by him.

8 And thou shalt deal mercifully with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thyself: and if there is iniquity in thy servant, slay me thyself; but why dost thou thus bring me to thy father?

9 And Jonathan said, That be far from thee: for if I surely know that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, although it should not be against thy cities, I will tell thee.

10 And David said to Jonathan, Who can tell me if thy father should answer roughly?

11 And Jonathan said to David, Go, and abide in the field. And they went out both into the field.

12 And Jonathan said to David, the Lord God of Israel knows that I will sound my father as I have an opportunity, three several times, and, behold, if good should be determined concerning David, and I do not send to thee to the field,

13 God do so to Jonathan and more also: as I shall also report the evil to thee, and make it known to thee, and I will let thee go; and thou shalt depart in peace, and the Lord shall be with thee, as he was with my father.

14 And if indeed I continue to live, then shalt thou deal mercifully with me; and if I indeed die,

15

16 should it happen that the name of Jonathan be discovered by the house of David, then let the Lord seek out the enemies of David.

17 And Jonathan swore yet again to David, because he loved the soul of him that loved him.

18 And Jonathan said, To-morrow is the new moon, and thou wilt be enquired for, because thy seat will be observed as vacant.

19 And thou shalt stay three days, and watch an opportunity, and shalt come to thy place where thou mayest hide thyself in the day of thy business, and thou shalt wait by that ergab.

20 And I will shoot three arrows, aiming them at a mark.

21 And behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go find me the arrow.

22 If I should expressly say to the lad, The arrow is here, and on this side of thee, take it; then come, for it is well with thee, and there is no reason for fear, as the Lord lives: but if I should say thus to the young man, The arrow is on that side of thee, and beyond; go, for the Lord hath sent thee away.