1 Samuel 20:8–17

⁸Deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the Lord. ^xIf I have done anything wrong, ^ythen kill me yourself; why take me to your father?”

⁹“No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”

¹⁰So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

¹¹He answered David, “Come on, let’s go out to the field.” So both of them went out to the field. ¹²“By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If I find out that he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? ^z13If my father intends to bring evil on you, may God punish Jonathan and do so severely ^aif I do not tell you ^band send you away so you may go in peace. May the Lord be with you, ^cjust as He was with my father. ¹⁴If I continue to live, treat me with the Lord’s faithful love, but if I die, ¹⁵don’t ever withdraw your faithful love from my household—not even when the Lord cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” ^d16Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, ^esaying, “May the Lord hold David’s enemies accountable.” ^fg17Jonathan once again swore to David ^hin his love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself. ⁱ