1 Samuel 20:8–17

⁸Therefore deal kindly with your servant, ^wfor you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. ^xBut if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” ⁹And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that ^vit was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?” ¹⁰Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?” ¹¹And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.

¹²And Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness!¹ When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? ¹³But should it please my father to do you harm, ^ythe Lord do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. ^zMay the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. ¹⁴If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die; ^15aand do not cut off² your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” ¹⁶And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ^b“May³ the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” ¹⁷And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, ^cfor he loved him as he loved his own soul.