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OEB 1SA Chapter 20

20 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and said, ‘What have I done? What is my guilt? What is my sin against your father, that he is seeking my life?’ 2 He replied to him, ‘Far from it! You will not die. See, my father does nothing great or small, but that he discloses it to than me; and why should my father hide this from me? It can’t be true!’ 3 David answered, ‘Your father well knows that I have found favour in your eyes, and he is saying to himself, “Let not Jonathan know this or he will be pained.” Nevertheless as surely as the Lord lives, and as you live, there is but a step between me and death.’ 4 Then Jonathan said to David, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ 5 And David answered Jonathan, ‘Tomorrow is the new moon and I should not fail to sit at the table with the king. Therefore let me go and I will hide myself in the field until evening. 6 If your father misses me, then say, “David urgently asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city; for the yearly sacrifice is there for all the family.” 7 If he says “Good,” then it is well with your servant, but if it arouses his anger, then know that he intends evil on me. 8 Now deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a sacred covenant with you. If there is guilt in me, slay me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?’ 9 And Jonathan said, ‘No! For if I should learn that my father had determined that evil should come upon you, I would tell you.’ 10 Then David said to Jonathan, ‘Who will tell me, if your father answers you harshly?’ 11 And Jonathan replied to David, ‘Come, and let us go out into the field.’ So the two of them went out into the field. 12 And Jonathan said to David, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness that I will sound my father about this time tomorrow or the next day, and if is well disposed toward David, then I will send and disclose it to you. 13 May God do to Jonathan whatever he will, should my father be disposed to do you evil, and I disclose it not to you and send you away that you may go in peace. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. 14 If I am yet alive, show me the kindness of the Lord! But if I should die, 15 continue your kindness to my household forever, even if the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.’ 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘May the Lord seek out the enemies of David.’ 17 Jonathan took an oath again with David, because of his love to him. With all his heart he loved him. 18 Then Jonathan said to him, ‘Tomorrow is the new moon and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 On the third day you will be greatly missed. Then you should go to the place where you hid yourself the other time, and sit down there beside the heap of stones. 20 I will shoot three arrows on one side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21 Then I will send the boy, saying, “Go, find the arrows.” If I say to the boy, “See, the arrows are on this side of you, pick them up!” – then come; for it is safe for you, and, as the Lord lives, there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the boy, “See, the arrows are beyond you,”, go, for then the Lord sends you away. 23 As to the word which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is witness between you and me forever.

24 So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down at the table to eat. 25 The king sat upon his seat as usual, on the seat by the wall, with Jonathan opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side; but David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “It is an accident, he is not ceremonially clean, for he has not been cleansed.” 27 But when on the day following the new moon, David’s place was empty, Saul said to Jonathan his son, ‘Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?’ 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, ‘David urgently asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, 29 for he said, “Let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brothers have commanded me. Now if I have found favour in your sight, let me slip away and see my brothers.” Hence he has not come to the king’s table.’

30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, ‘Son of a depraved woman! Don’t I know that you are associated with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he is doomed to die.’ 32 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father ‘Why should he be put to death? What has he done?’ 33 But Saul lifted up his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father had determined to put David to death. 34 Jonathan rose from the table in hot anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father reviled him.

35 In the morning Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him. 36 He said to his boy, ‘Run, find and the arrows which I shoot.’ As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy came to the place where the arrow which Jonathan had shot lay, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, ‘Isn’t the arrow beyond you?’ 38 Jonathan cried after the boy, ‘Hurry, quick, do not stop!’ So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and brought them to his master. 39 But the boy had no knowledge of anything. Only Jonathan and David understood what this meant. 40 Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, ‘Go, carry them to the city.’ 41 As soon as the lad had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap, and fell on his face to the ground and prostrated himself three times, and they kissed each other and wept at length with each other. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace! As to what we two have sworn in the name of the Lord – the Lord will be between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’ Then David rose and departed and Jonathan went into the city.

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