1 Samuel 20:8–17

⁸Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a sacred covenant^h with you. But if there is guilt in me, slay me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?” ⁹And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?” ¹⁰Then said David 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! When I have sounded 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, the 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. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. ¹⁴If I am still alive, show me the loyal love of the Lord, that I may not die;^{j 15}and do not cut off your loyalty from my house for ever. When the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth, ¹⁶let not the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David.^k And may the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” ¹⁷And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.