AND David fled from Naviyth in Ramah, and came and said before Yahunathan, What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?
And he said unto him, Far be it; you shall not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
And David swore moreover, and said, Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes; and he says, Let not Yahunathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as Yahuah lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
Then said Yahunathan unto El-David, Whatsoever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.
And David said unto El-Yahunathan, Behold, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at evening.
If your father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beyt Lechem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
If he say thus, It is well; your servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahuah with you: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?
And Yahunathan said, Far be it from you: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon you, then would not I tell it you?
Then said David to El-Yahunathan, Who shall tell me? or what if your father answer you roughly?
And Yahunathan said unto El-David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
And Yahunathan said unto El-David, O Yahuah Elohai of Yashar'el, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward El-David, and I then send not unto you, and show it you;
Yahuah do so and much more to Yahunathan: but if it please my father to do you evil, then I will show it you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and Yahuah be with you, as he has been with my father.
And you shall not only while yet I live show me the kindness of Yahuah, that I die not:
But also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever: no, not when Yahuah has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the face of the earth.
So Yahunathan cut a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let Yahuah even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
And Yahunathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Then Yahunathan said to David, Tomorrow is the New Moon: and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty.
And when you have stayed three days, then you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel.
And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
And, 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 you, take them; then come: for there is peace to you, and no hurt; as Yahuah lives.
But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond you; go your way: for Yahuah has sent you away.
And as touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahuah be between you and me forever.
So David hid himself in the field: and when the New Moon was come, the king sat him down to eat.
And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Yahunathan arose, and Avner sat by Sha'ul's side, and David's place was empty.
Nevertheless Sha'ul spoke not anything that day: for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Sha'ul said unto El-Yahunathan his son, Wherefore come not the son of Yishai to meat, neither yesterday, nor today?
And Yahunathan answered Sha'ul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beyt Lechem:
And he said, Let me go, I pray you; for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he has commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren. Therefore he comes not unto the king's table.
Then Sha'ul's anger was kindled against Yahunathan, and he said unto him, You son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that you have chosen the son of Yishai to your own confusion, and unto the confusion of your mother's nakedness?
For as long as the son of Yishai lives upon the ground, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
And Yonathan answered Sha'ul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what has he done?
And Sha'ul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Yahunathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
So Yahunathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for El-David, because his father had done him shame.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Yahunathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Yahunathan had shot, Yahunathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond you?
And Yahunathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Yahunathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his adoniy.
But the lad knew not anything: only Yahunathan and David knew the matter.
And Yahunathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the Negev, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
And Yahunathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Yahuah, saying, Yahuah be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed forever. And he arose and departed: and Yahunathan went into the city.