1 Samuel 20:18-39

18“Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival,” Jonathan told him, “and you will be missed when your seat is empty.

19The day after tomorrow you will be missed even more. So go to the place where you hid on that other occasion, and stay by the rock.

20I will shoot three arrows from beside it toward a target.

21Then I will send out a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ Now, if I tell the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are next to you; get them,’ then come ⌞back with me⌟. You will be safe, and there will be no trouble. I swear it, as the Lord lives.

22But if I tell the boy, ‘The arrows are next to you,’ then go, because the Lord has sent you away.

23We have made a promise to each other, and the Lord is ⌞a witness⌟ between you and me forever.”

24So David hid in the countryside. When the New Moon Festival came, King Saul sat down to eat the festival meal.

25He sat in his usual seat by the wall, while Jonathan stood. Abner sat beside Saul, but David’s place was empty.

26Saul didn’t say anything that day, thinking, “Something has happened to him so that he’s unclean. He must be unclean.”

27But on the second day of the month, David’s place was still empty. Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t Jesse’s son come to the meal either yesterday or today?”

28Jonathan answered Saul, “David repeatedly begged me ⌞to let him go⌟ to Bethlehem.

29David said to me ‘Please let me go. Our relatives will offer a sacrifice in the city, and my brother ordered me to be there. If you will permit it, please let me go to see my brothers.’ This is why he hasn’t come to your banquet.”

30Then Saul got angry with Jonathan. “Son of a crooked and rebellious woman!” he called Jonathan. “I know you’ve sided with Jesse’s son. You have no shame. ⌞You act⌟ as if you are your mother’s son but not mine.

31As long as Jesse’s son lives on earth, neither you nor your right to be king is secure. Now, send some men to bring him to me. He’s a dead man!”

32Jonathan asked his father, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?”

33Saul raised his spear to strike him. Then Jonathan knew his father was determined to kill David.

34Jonathan got up from the table very angry and ate nothing that second day of the month. He was worried sick about David because Jonathan had been humiliated by his own father.

35In the morning Jonathan went out to the country to the place he and David had agreed on. Jonathan had a young boy with him.

36“Run,” he told the boy, “please find the arrows I shoot.” The boy ran, and Jonathan shot the arrow over him.

37When the boy reached the place where Jonathan’s arrow ⌞had landed⌟, Jonathan called after him, “The arrows are next to you!”

38Jonathan added, “Quick! Hurry up! Don’t stand there!” Jonathan’s young servant gathered the arrows and came to his master.

39The boy had no idea what was going on, but Jonathan and David understood.