1 Samuel 20:5-24

5And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth–lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.1 7If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Yhwh with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? 9And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? 10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

11And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 12And Jonathan said unto David, O Yhwh God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;23 13Yhwh do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: And Yhwh be with thee, as he hath been with my father.4 14And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of Yhwh, that I die not: 15But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when Yhwh hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let Yhwh even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.5 17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.6 18Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.7 19And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.8910 20And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. 21And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as Yhwh liveth.11 22But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for Yhwh hath sent thee away. 23And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Yhwh be between thee and me for ever.

24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.