1.And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
3.And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
5.And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
7.If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
8.Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
9.And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
10.Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
11.And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
14.And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
15.But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
20.And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
22.But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.
23.And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.
24.So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25.And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.
26.Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27.And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
28.And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
29.And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.
32.And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
33.And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34.So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35.And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
37.And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
38.And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39.But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
41.And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.