1 ¶ And David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity or what is my sin before thy father that he seeks my life?

Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

2 A nd he said unto him, No, in no wise; thou shalt not die. Behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me, and why should my father hide this thing from me? It shall not be so.

So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so! ”

3 A nd David swore moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knows that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith in himself, Let Jonathan not know this lest he be grieved; but truly as the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.

Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘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.”

4 T hen Jonathan said unto David, Whatever thy soul saith, I will do it for thee.

So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”

5 A nd David replied unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at food, but thou shalt let me go and hide myself in the field until the evening of the third day.

And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening.

6 I f thy father at all misses me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem, his city, for all those of his lineage have an anniversary sacrifice.

If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’

7 I f he should say, It is well; thy slave shall have peace; but if he is very wroth, then be sure that the evil is determined in him.

If he says thus: ‘ It is well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him.

8 T herefore, thou shalt deal in mercy with thy slave, for thou hast brought thy slave into a covenant of the LORD with thee; notwithstanding, if there is iniquity in me, slay me thyself, for why should thou bring me to thy father?

Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your 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 I not be obliged to show it to thee?

But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”

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

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

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

And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field.

12 T hen Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I shall have asked my father tomorrow at this time or after tomorrow and, behold, if there is good toward David and I then do not send unto thee and show it to thee,

Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you,

13 t he LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do thee evil, then I will show it to thee and send thee away that thou may go in peace; and the LORD be with thee as he has been with my father.

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

14 A nd if I live, thou shalt show me the mercy of the LORD, but if I am dead,

And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die;

15 t hou shalt not cut off thy mercy from my house for ever. When the LORD has cut off one by one the enemies of David from the face of the earth, remove even Jonathan from thy house if I fail thee and require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

16 S o Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David.

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”

17 A nd Jonathan swore unto David again because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 T hen Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow 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; and you will be missed, because 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 on the day of the work and shalt remain by the stone Ezel;

And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; 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.

Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target;

21 A nd, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find 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 unto thee and no hurt, as the LORD lives.

and there 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; get them and come’—then, as the Lord lives, there is safety for you and no harm.

22 B ut if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, then go away, for the LORD has sent thee away.

But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the Lord has sent you away.

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

And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be between you and me forever.”

24 ¶ So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon was come, the king sat down to eat bread.

Then David hid in the field. And when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast.

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.

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

26 N evertheless, Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is unclean, surely he is unclean.”

27 A nd it came to pass on the next day, which was the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty, and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Why did not the son of Jesse come to food, neither yesterday nor today?

And it happened the next day, the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either yesterday or today?”

28 A nd Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

So Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem.

29 A nd he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for those of our lineage have a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he has commanded me to be there, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he has not come unto the king’s table.

And he said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers.’ Therefore 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 I not know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion and unto the confusion of thy mother’s shame?

Then Saul’s anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, “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 your mother’s nakedness?

31 F or as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the land, thou shalt not be established nor thy kingdom. Therefore, now send and bring him unto me, for he shall surely die.

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

32 A nd Jonathan answered Saul his father and said unto him, Why shall he be slain? What has he done?

And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?”

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

Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.

34 S o Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved for David and because his father had done him shame.

So Jonathan arose 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 treated him shamefully.

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.

And so it was, in the morning, that 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 and find the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

Then he said to his lad, “Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.” 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 had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “ 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 out after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!” So Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master.

39 B ut the lad did not understand anything; only Jonathan and David understood the matter.

But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter.

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

Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to 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 Negev and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times, and they kissed one another and wept one with another, although David exceeded.

As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so.

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 entered into the city.

Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.