⁹“Don’t even think such a thing!” Jonathan answered. “If I knew for certain that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?” ¹⁰David then asked, “Who will let me know if your father answers you angrily?”

¹¹“Let’s go out to the fields,” Jonathan answered. So they went, ¹²and Jonathan said to David, “May the Lord God of Israel be our witness!^g At this time tomorrow and on the following day I will question my father. If his attitude towards you is good, I will send you word. ¹³If he intends to harm you, may the Lord strike me dead if I don’t let you know about it and get you safely away. May the Lord be with you as he was with my father! ¹⁴And if I remain alive, please keep your sacred promise and be loyal to me; but if I die,^h ¹⁵^*show the same kind of loyalty to my family for ever. And when the Lord has completely destroyed all your enemies, ¹⁶may our promise to each other still be unbroken. If it is broken, the Lord will punish you.”ⁱ

¹⁷Once again Jonathan made David promise to love him, for Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself.

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Footnotes

gOne ancient translation be our witness; Hebrew does not have these words.
hSome ancient translations if I die; Hebrew that I may not die.
iVerses 15–16 in Hebrew are unclear.

Cross references

*20.15: 2 S 9:1