1Samuel:20

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* And David fled from Naioth in Ramah , and came and said before Jonathan , What have I done ? what is mine iniquity ? and what is my sin before your father , that he seeks my life ? * And he said unto him , God forbid ; 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 yours eyes ; and he says , Let not Jonathan know this , lest he be grieved : but truly as the LORD lives , and as your soul lives , there is but a step between me and death . * Then said Jonathan unto David , Whatsoever your soul desires , I will even do it for you . * And David said unto Jonathan , Behold , tomorrow is the new moon , and I should not fail to sit with the king at food : but let me go , that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even . * If your father at all miss me , then say , David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem 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 angry , 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 the LORD with you : notwithstanding , if there be in me iniquity , slay me yourself ; for why should you bring me to your father ? * And Jonathan 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 Jonathan , Who shall tell me ? or what if your father answer you roughly ? * And Jonathan said unto David , Come , and let us go out into the field . And they went out both of them into the field . * And Jonathan said unto David , O LORD God of Israel , when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time , or the third day , and , behold , if there be good toward David , and I then send not unto you , and show it you ; * The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan : 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 the LORD be with you , as he has been with my father . * And you shall not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD , that I die not : * But also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house for ever : no , not when the LORD has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth . * So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David , saying , Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David 's enemies . * And Jonathan caused David to swear again , because he loved him : for he loved him as he loved his own soul . * Then Jonathan 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 you : for there is peace to you , and no hurt ; as the LORD lives . * But if I say thus unto the young man , Behold , the arrows are beyond you ; go your way : for the LORD has sent you away . * And as concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of , behold , the LORD be between you and me for ever . * So David hid himself in the field : and when the new moon was come , the king sat him down to eat food . * And the king sat upon his seat , as at other times , even upon a seat by the wall : and Jonathan arose , and Abner sat by Saul 's side , and David 's place was empty . * Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing 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 next day , which was the second day of the month , that David 's place was empty : and Saul said unto Jonathan his son , Wherefore comes not the son of Jesse to food , neither yesterday , nor to day ? * And Jonathan answered Saul , David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem : * 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 favour in yours eyes , let me get away , I pray you , and see my brethren . Therefore he comes not unto the king 's table . * Then Saul 's anger was kindled against Jonathan , and he said unto him , You son of the perverse rebellious woman , do not I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to yours own confusion , and unto the confusion of your mother 's nakedness ? * For as long as the son of Jesse 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 Jonathan answered Saul his father , and said unto him , Wherefore shall he be slain ? what has he done ? * And Saul cast a javelin at him to strike him : whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David . * So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger , and did eat no food the second day of the month : for he was grieved for David , because his father had done him shame . * And it came to pass in the morning , that Jonathan 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 Jonathan had shot , Jonathan cried after the lad , and said , Is not the arrow beyond you ? * And Jonathan cried after the lad , Make speed , haste , stay not . And Jonathan 's lad gathered up the arrows , and came to his master . * But the lad knew not any thing : only Jonathan and David knew the matter . * And Jonathan 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 south , 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 Jonathan said to David , Go in peace , forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD , saying , The LORD be between me and you , and between my seed and your seed for ever . And he arose and departed : and Jonathan went into the city .

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