1 A nd 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?

David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said to Jonathan, What have I done? Of what am I guilty? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?

2 A nd he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

Jonathan said, God forbid! You shall not die. My father does nothing great or small but what he tells me. And why should hide this thing from me? It is not so.

3 A nd 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.

But David replied, Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, Let not 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.

4 T hen said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

Then Jonathan said to David, Whatever you desire, I will do for you.

5 A nd 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.

David said to Jonathan, Tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit at the table with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening.

6 I f thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

If 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.

7 I f 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.

If he says, All right, then it will be well with your servant; but if he is angry, then be sure that evil is determined by him.

8 T herefore 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?

Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?

9 A nd 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?

And Jonathan said, Far be it from you! If I knew that evil was determined for you by my father, would I not tell you?

10 T hen said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

Then said David to Jonathan, Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?

11 A nd Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

Jonathan said, Come, let us go into the field. So they went into the field.

12 A nd Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;

Jonathan said to David, The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness. When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well inclined toward David, and I do not send and let you know it,

13 t he Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

The Lord do so, and much more, to Jonathan. But if it please my father to do you harm, then I will disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father.

14 A nd thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not:

While I am still alive you shall not only show me the loving-kindness of the Lord, so that I die not,

15 b ut 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.

But also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever—no, not even when the Lord has cut off every enemy of David from the face of the earth.

16 S o Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And the Lord will require that this covenant be kept at the hands of David’s enemies.

17 A nd Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

And Jonathan caused David to swear again by his love for him, for Jonathan loved him as he loved his own life.

18 T hen Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the New Moon festival; and you will be missed, for your seat will be empty.

19 A nd when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

On the third day you will go quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain by the stone Ezel.

20 A nd I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.

And I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.

21 A nd, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the Lord liveth.

And I will send a lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I expressly say to the lad, Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them—then you are to come, for it is safe for you and there is no danger, as the Lord lives.

22 B ut if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.

But if I say to the youth, Look, the arrows are beyond you—then go, for the Lord has sent you away.

23 A nd as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.

And as touching the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever.

24 S o David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

So David hid himself in the field, and when the New Moon came, the king sat down to eat food.

25 A nd 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.

The king sat, as at other times, on his seat by the wall, and Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.

26 N evertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

Yet Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, Something has befallen him and he is not clean—surely he is not clean.

27 A nd 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?

But on the morrow, the second day after the new moon, David’s place was empty; and Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?

28 A nd Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:

And Jonathan answered, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

29 a nd 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.

He said, Let me go, I pray, for our family holds a sacrifice in the city and my brother commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers. That is why he has not come to the king’s table.

30 T hen Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?

Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan and he said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do not I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother who bore you?

31 F or as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, you shall not be established nor shall your kingdom. So now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.

32 A nd Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

Jonathan answered Saul his father, Why should he be killed? What has he done?

33 A nd Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

But Saul cast his spear at him to smite him, by which Jonathan knew that his father had determined to kill David.

34 S o 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.

So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food that second day of the month, for he grieved for David because his father had disgraced him.

35 A nd 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.

In the morning Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him.

36 A nd he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

And he said to his lad, Run, find the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 A nd 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?

When the lad came to the place where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called to, Is not the arrow beyond you?

38 A nd Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not! The lad gathered up the arrow and came to his master.

39 B ut the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

But the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 A nd Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and told him, Go, carry them to the city.

41 A nd 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.

And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose from beside the heap of stones and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another until David got control of himself.

42 A nd Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

And Jonathan told David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and yours forever. And Jonathan arose and departed into the city.