1 Samuel 20:5-24

5And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow 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 miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

7If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.

8Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: but 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 should at all know 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 if perchance 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, The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness; when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?

13The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

14And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:

15but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD 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, And the LORD shall require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

17And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18Then Jonathan said unto him, Tomorrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

19And when thou hast stayed three days, 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.

20And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.

21And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee: take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as the LORD liveth.

22But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee: go thy way; for the LORD hath sent thee away.

23And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is 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.