1 Samuel 20:20-42

20And I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. 21Then behold, I will send the boy, telling him, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come, because it is safe for you and there is nothing to harm you, as the Lord lives. 22But if I 1say to the youth, ‘2Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, because the Lord has sent you away. 233As for the 4agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, 5the Lord is between you and me forever.”

24So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25Now the king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan stood up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side; but 6David’s place was empty. 26Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, because he thought, “It must have been an 7accident; 8he is not clean, undoubtedly he is not clean.” 27But it came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty again; so Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28And Jonathan answered Saul, “9David earnestly requested leave of me to go to Bethlehem. 29He said, ‘Please let me go, because our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has ordered me to attend. So now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me slip away so 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, 10as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now then, send men and bring him to me, for 11he is 12doomed to die!” 32But Jonathan replied to his father Saul and said to him, “13Why must he be put to death? What has he done?” 33Then 14Saul hurled his spear at him to strike and kill him; 15so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death. 34Then Jonathan got up from the table in the heat of anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, because he was worried about David since his father had insulted him.

35Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out to the field at the time agreed upon with David, and a little boy was with him. 36He said to his boy, “16Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” The boy ran, and he shot 17an arrow past him. 37When the boy reached the location of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “18Is the arrow not beyond you?” 38Then Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s boy picked up the arrow and came to his master. 39But the boy was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter. 40Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.” 41When the boy was gone, David got up from the south side, then he fell on his face to the ground and 19bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, until 20David wept immeasurably. 42Then Jonathan said to David, “21Go 22in safety, since 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.’” 26So David set out and went on his way, while Jonathan went into the city.