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?”

David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks 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!”

He said to him, “Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would 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.”

David swore moreover, and said, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved:’ but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, 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 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.”

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.

David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.

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 your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem 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 says, ‘It is well;’ your servant shall have peace: but if he is angry, 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 your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you; but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your 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?”

Jonathan 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?”

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

Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if perchance your father answers you 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.

Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” They both went out 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?

Jonathan said to David, “By Yahweh, the God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, won’t I then send to you, and disclose it to you?

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.

Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace. May Yahweh be with you, as he has 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?

You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of Yahweh, that I not die;

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 you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when Yahweh has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface 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 David’s house, saying, “Yahweh 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.

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 to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your 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.

When you have stayed three days, go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and remain by the stone Ezel.

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

I will shoot three arrows on its side, 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.

Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come; for there is peace to you and no danger, as Yahweh lives.

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 this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you;’ then go your way; for Yahweh has sent you away.

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

Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between you and me forever.”

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. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself 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.

The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on 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 didn’t say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to 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?”

On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why doesn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday, or today?”

28 J onathan then answered Saul, “ David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,

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

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

He said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded 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.”

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 burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don’t I 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 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 lives on the earth, you will not be established, nor will your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to 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?”

Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has 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.

Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined 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 ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.

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.

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

He said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy 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?”

When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”

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.

Jonathan cried after the boy, “Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay!” Jonathan’s boy 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 boy didn’t know 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.”

Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to 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.

As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, 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.

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.

Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have both sworn in Yahweh’s name, saying, ‘Yahweh is between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.