1 Samuel 20:5-24

5David replied, “Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, when I should sit and eat at the king’s ⌞table⌟. But let me go and hide in the countryside for two more nights.

6If your father really misses me, tell him, ‘David repeatedly begged me to let him run to Bethlehem, his hometown, because his relatives are offering the annual sacrifice there.’

7If he says, ‘Good!’ then I will be safe. But if he gets really angry, then you’ll know for sure that he has decided to harm me.

8Now, be kind to me. After all, you forced me into an agreement with the Lord. If I have committed any crime, kill me yourself. Why bother taking me to your father?”

9Jonathan answered, “That’s unthinkable! If I knew for sure that my father had decided to harm you, I would have told you about it.”

10Then David asked, “Who will tell me whether or not your father gives you a harsh answer?”

11Jonathan said, “Let’s go out into the country.” So they went out into the country.

12“As the Lord God of Israel ⌞is my witness⌟,” Jonathan continued, “I’ll find out in the next two or three days how my father feels about you. If he does feel kindly toward you, then I will send someone to tell you.

13If my father plans to harm you and I fail to tell you and send you away safely, may the Lord harm me even more. May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father.

14But as long as I live, ⌞promise me that you will⌟ show me kindness because of the Lord. And even when I die,

15never stop being kind to my family. The Lord will wipe each of David’s enemies off the face of the earth.

16At that time, if Jonathan’s name  is cut off from David’s family, then may the Lord punish David’s house.”

17Once again Jonathan swore an oath to David because of his love for David. He loved David as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself.

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.