1 Samuel 20:20-42

20I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. 21And 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 1no harm, as the Lord lives. 22But if I 2say to the youth, ‘3Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the Lord has sent you away. 234As for the 5agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, 6the Lord is between you and me forever.”

24So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25The 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 7David’s place was empty. 26Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, “It is an accident, 8he is not clean, surely he is not clean.” 27It 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?” 28Jonathan then answered Saul, “9David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, 29for he said, ‘Please 10let 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.”

30Then 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? 31For 11as 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 12he 13must surely die.” 32But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “14Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33Then 15Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; 16so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death. 34Then 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.

35Now 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. 36He said to his lad, “17Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the lad was running, he shot 18an arrow past him. 37When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “19Is not the arrow beyond you?” 38And Jonathan called after the lad, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s lad picked up the arrow and came to his master. 39But the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter. 40Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.” 41When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and 20bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but 21David wept the more. 42Jonathan said to David, “22Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘23The Lord will be between me and you, and between my 24descendants and your 25descendants forever.’” 26Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.