Jonathan Supports David over Saul

20 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt and what is my sin before your father that he is ⌊trying to kill me⌋?a 2 And he said to him, “Far from it! You will not die! Look, my father does not dob ⌊anything large or small unless he reveals it to me⌋.c Why should my father hide this thing or anything from me?” 3 Then David ⌊took an oath⌋d again and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thought, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he worry.’ But ⌊as Yahweh lives⌋e and ⌊as your soul lives⌋,f surely there is merely a step between me and death!” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “⌊Whatever you wish⌋,g I will do for you.” 5 David said to Jonathan, “Look, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should certainly sit with the king to eat. You must send me away so that I can hide myself in the field until the third evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then you must say, ‘David earnestly asked from me to run to Bethlehem his city, for ⌊the yearly sacrifice⌋h is there for all the clan.’ 7 If he says ‘Good,’ it will mean peace for your servant; but if he is very angry, know that ⌊he has decided to do me harm⌋.i 8 So you must show loyal love to your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you. But if there is guilt in me, then kill me yourself! But why should you bring me to your father?” 9 Then Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I know for certain that ⌊my father decided evil should come upon you⌋,j would I not have told it to you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if what your father answers you is harsh?” 11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out to the field.” So the two of them went out to the field.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, “Yahweh the God of Israel is my witnessk that I will question my father ⌊by this time the day after tomorrow⌋.l And look, ⌊if he is well disposed toward you⌋,m will I not send word to you and ⌊disclose it to you⌋?n 13 ⌊So may Yahweh punish Jonathan and more⌋o if ⌊my father decides to do you harm⌋p and if ⌊I fail to disclose it to you⌋q and send word to you that you can go safely. And may Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father. 14 And not while I am still alive, will you not show the loyal love of Yahweh with me, that I may not die?r 15 And do not cut off your loyal love from ⌊my family⌋s forever, not even when Yahweh ⌊exterminates⌋t each of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan ⌊made a covenant⌋u with the house of David, saying, “May Yahweh ⌊call the enemies of David to account⌋.”v 17 And Jonathan again made David swear an oath, because he loved him; for with the love of his soul he loved him.

18 Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, for your seat will stay empty. 19 On the third day you must go down quickly and go to the place where you hid yourself ⌊on the day all this started⌋w and remain beside the stone Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows to the side as if I were shooting at a target. 21 ⌊Then⌋x I will send word to my servant, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I clearly say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are ⌊on this side of you⌋;y ⌊bring⌋z it,’ thena come, for it means peace for you. And there is no problem, ⌊as Yahweh lives⌋.b 22 But if I say this to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are ⌊beyond you⌋,’c go, for Yahweh has sent you away. 23 And as for the matter about which you and I spoke, look, Yahweh is between you and me forever.”