1 T hen David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?”

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?

2 H e said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

And he said unto him, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

3 Y et David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’ But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.”

And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth well that I have found favor in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

4 T hen Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

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

5 S o David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

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.

6 I f your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’

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

7 I f he says, ‘It is good,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil.

If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.

8 T herefore 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, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?”

Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

9 J onathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”

And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

10 T hen David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?

11 J onathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.

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

12 T hen 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 there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known to you?

And Jonathan said unto David, Jehovah, the God of Israel, be witness: when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?

13 I f it please my father to do you harm, may the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known 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.

Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

14 I f I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die?

And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not;

15 Y ou shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.

16 S o Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “ May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies.”

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.

17 J onathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.

And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 T hen Jonathan said to him, “ Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.

Then Jonathan said unto him, To-morrow is the new moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

19 W hen you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel.

And when thou hast stayed three days, 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.

20 I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target.

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

21 A nd behold, I will send the lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come; for there is safety for you and no harm, as the Lord lives.

And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth.

22 B ut if I say to the youth, ‘ Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the Lord has sent you away.

But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way; for Jehovah hath sent thee away.

23 A s for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever.”

And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me for ever.

24 S o David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.

So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food.

25 T he king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.

And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty.

26 N evertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, “It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean.”

Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

27 I t came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”

And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, 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 J onathan then answered Saul, “ David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,

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

29 f or he said, ‘Please let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.” Saul Is Angry with Jonathan

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 favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king's table.

30 T hen Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?

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

31 F or as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.”

For 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.

32 B ut Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “ Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?

33 T hen Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death.

And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that is was determined of his father to put David to death.

34 T hen Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.

So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

35 N ow it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him.

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.

36 H e said to his lad, “ Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.

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

37 W hen the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “ Is not the arrow beyond you?”

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 A nd Jonathan called after the lad, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s lad picked up the arrow and came to his master.

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 B ut the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.

But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 T hen Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.”

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

41 W hen the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more.

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.

42 J onathan said to David, “ Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘ The Lord will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’” Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.

And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall 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.