1Then David fled from the dwellings at Ramah, and came before Jonathan and said, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?" 2He said to him, "Far from it; you shall not die. Look, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so." 3And David answered and said, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved:' but truly as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death." 4Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever your soul desires, I will do for you." 5So David said to Jonathan, "Look, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. Instead, let me go so that I may hide myself in the field until evening. 6If your father missed me at all, then say, 'David urgently requested of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.' 7If he says, 'It is well;' your servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him. 8Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you: but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?" 9Jonathan said, "Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?" 10Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?" 11Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." They both went out into the field.

12Jonathan said to David, "The LORD, the God of Israel, is witness. When I have studied my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, look, if there is good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you? 13But should it please my father to do you harm, God do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not let you know and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. 14And if I am still alive, deal loyally with me. But if I die, 15do not cut off your loyalty from my house forever. And when the LORD cuts off the enemies of David, each one from the face of the earth, 16if the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David, then may the LORD require it at the hand of the enemies of David." 17And Jonathan swore to David again, because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18Then Jonathan said, "Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19On the third day you should go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and stay by that mound. 20And as for me, on the third day I will shoot arrows to its side, aiming it toward a target. 21Look, I will send the boy, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I tell the boy, 'Look, the arrow is on this side of you. Take it;' then come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as the LORD lives. 22But if I say this to the boy, 'Look, the arrow is beyond you;' then go your way; for the LORD has sent you away. 23Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, look, the LORD is a witness between you and me forever."

24So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon had come, the king sat at the table to eat. 25The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty. 26Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day: for he thought, "Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean." 27It happened on the next day after the new moon, the second day, that David's place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why hasn't the son of Jesse come to the table, either yesterday or today?" 28Jonathan answered Saul, and said, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. 29He said, 'Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. And as for me, my brothers have ordered me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.' Therefore he has not come to the king's table."

30Then Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a rebellious slave girl, don’t I know that you are the companion of the son of Jesse, to your own disgrace, and to the disgrace of your mother's nakedness? 31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, your kingdom will not be established. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die." 32Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" 33And Saul raised his spear at him to strike him. Then Jonathan realized that this evil from his father to kill David was determined. 34So Jonathan sprang up from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had dishonored him.

35It happened in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him. 36He said to the boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." And as the boy ran, he shot an arrow, sending it toward the city. 37When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the youth, and said, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?" 38Jonathan cried after the boy, "Go fast. Hurry. Do not delay." Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39But the boy did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, "Go, carry them to the city." 41As soon as the boy was gone, David arose from beside the mound, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most. 42Then Jonathan said, "Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, 'The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, forever.'" He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.