1 Samuel 20:9-23

9Jonathan 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?” 10Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me 1if your father answers you harshly?” 11Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.

12Then 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 2make it known to you? 13If it please my father to do you harm, 3may the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not 4make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And 5may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die? 156You 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.” 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “7May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies.” 17Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because 8he loved him as he loved his own life.

18Then Jonathan said to him, “9Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. 19When 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. 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 10no harm, as the Lord lives. 22But if I 11say to the youth, ‘12Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the Lord has sent you away. 2313As for the 14agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, 15the Lord is between you and me forever.”