1And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came to Jonathan and said, “What have I done? What is my crime? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 2And Jonathan said, “God forbid; you shall not die: look, my father will do nothing either big or small, without telling me: and why would my father hide this from me? It is not so.” 3And David swore, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes; and he says, ‘Do not tell Jonathan this, so he is not grieved;’ but as sure as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” 4Then Jonathan told David, “Whatever you desire, I will do for you.” 5And David said, “Look, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at the table; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the evening of the third day. 6If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem, his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family’. 7If he says, ‘It is well;’ I shall have peace: but if he is very angry, then be sure that evil against me is determined by him. 8So deal kindly with me; for you have made a solemn covenant with me unto the LORD: but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; but why should you betray me to your father!” 9And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you; for if I knew certainly that my father was determined to bring evil upon you, would I not tell you?” 10Then David said to Jonathan, “Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly?” 11And Jonathan said, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” And the two went out into the field.

12And Jonathan said to David, “As the LORD God of Israel is my witness, when I have sounded my father any time tomorrow, or the third day, if there is good intended toward you, and I do not then send and tell you, 13May the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan; but if my father wishes to do you evil, then I will tell you that, and send you away, that you may go in peace; and may the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. 14And you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I yet live; but if I die, 15You shall not stop your kindness toward my family forever; not even when the LORD has cut off all the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold all of David's enemies accountable.” 17And Jonathan asked David to reaffirm his oath, because he loved him; as he loved his own soul.

18Then Jonathan told David, “Tomorrow is the new moon; and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19And when you have stayed hidden three days, then you shall go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when this trouble started, and remain by the stone, Ezel. 20And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21And I will send a lad, and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then come; for there is peace to you, and no harm, as the LORD lives. 22But if I say to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ go your way; for the LORD has sent you away. 23And regarding the matter of which you and I have spoken, may the LORD be between you and me forever.” 24So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon had come, the king sat down to eat. 25And Saul was seated by the wall, as at other times; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's seat was empty. 26But Saul made no mention of it that day; for he thought, “Something must have happened to him that made him ceremonially unclean; surely he is unclean.” 27And on the second day of the month, David's place was empty; and Saul said to Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the table, not yesterday, nor today?” 28And Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; 29Saying, ‘Let me go, I pray you; for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother has ordered me to be there; and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren.’ That is why he has not come to the king's table.” 30Then Saul's anger flared against Jonathan, and he said, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31As long as David, the son of Jesse, lives, neither you nor your kingdom shall ever be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” 32And Jonathan answered his father, “Why should he be slain? What has he done?” 33And Saul threw a javelin at Jonathan to strike him. By that outburst, Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David. 34So Jonathan left the table in fierce anger, and ate no food that second day of the month; being grieved for David, because of his father’s shameful treatment of David.

35And in the morning (of the third day), Jonathan went out into the field at the time agreed to with David, and a little lad was with him. 36And he said to his lad, “Run, and find the arrows that I shoot.” And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37And when the lad approached where the arrow had been shot, Jonathan shouted to the lad, “Is the arrow not beyond you?” 38And Jonathan shouted to the lad, “Hurry! Go quickly!” And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and returned to his master. 39But the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40And Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to his lad, and told him, “Go, carry them back to the city.” 41And as soon as the lad had left, David arose from a place toward the south, fell with his face to the ground, bowed himself three times; and they kissed one another, and wept together, until David regained his composure. 42And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, in as much as we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, ‘The LORD be between me and you, and between my children and children forever.’” And David arose and departed; and Jonathan returned to the city.