1 Samuel 20:8-17

8So deal kindly with your servant, for 1you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But 2if 3I am guilty of wrongdoing, kill me yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” 9Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I in fact learn that my father has decided 4to inflict harm on you, would I not inform you?” 10Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will inform me 5if your father answers you harshly?” 11Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let’s go out to the field.” So both of them went out to the field.

12Then Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, is my witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow or the third day, behold, if he has a good feeling toward 6you, shall I not then send word to you and 7inform you? 13If it pleases my father to do you harm, 8may the Lord do so to 9me and more so, if I fail to 10inform you and send you away, so that you may go in safety. And 11may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14And if I am still alive, will you not show me the faithfulness of the Lord, so that I do not die? 15And 12you shall never cut off your loyalty to my house, 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, “13May the Lord demand it from the hands of David’s enemies.” 17And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because 14he loved him as he loved his own life.