201David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? Am I guilty of something? What is my sin against your father that makes him seek my life?”
2Jonathan said to him, “A curse on me if that happens.[] You will not die. Look, my father does nothing whether important or unimportant without telling me about it. Why would my father hide this from me? It is not so.” 3But David took an oath and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, so he might say, ‘Do not let Jonathan know about this, or he will be very upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives, and as surely as your soul lives, there is only a step between me and death.”
4Then Jonathan said to David, “Ask me for whatever you really want, and I will do it for you.”
5David said to Jonathan, “Listen, tomorrow is the new moon, and I am expected to dine with the king, but let me go so that I can hide in the countryside until the evening of the third day. 6If your father misses me at all, say, ‘David urged me to excuse him so that he could run to Bethlehem, his hometown, because it is the annual sacrifice there for his entire family.’ 7If he says, ‘That is fine,’ your servant will be at peace. But if it really displeases him, then you will know that he is planning evil. 8You must show kindness to your servant, because you have made a covenant in the name of the Lord with me, your servant. But if I am guilty of anything, kill me yourself. Why should you bring me to your father?”
9Jonathan said, “A curse on me if that occurs, because if I knew that my father was planning to harm you, wouldn't I tell you?”
10Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father gives you a harsh response?”
11Jonathan said to David, “Come, let's go out into the field.” So the two of them went out into the field. 12Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel! About this time tomorrow or the day after, when I have tested my father to see if he is favorably inclined toward David, I will send word to you so that you hear about it. 13May the Lord punish Jonathan severely and double it,[] if my father is planning to harm you and I do not disclose it to you and send you on your way, so that you may go in peace. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. 14You must show the mercy of the Lord to me, not only while I am still alive, so that I do not die, 15but you also must not cut off your mercy from my house forever—no, not even when the Lord has cut 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, “May the Lord demand an accounting from David's enemies.” 17Then Jonathan had David repeat the oath, because of the love that he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19On the third day[] go down quickly to the place where you hid on the previous occasion and stay by the stone named Ezel. 20I will shoot three arrows off to the side of it, as if I were shooting at a target. 21I will send the boy out and say, ‘Go and find the arrows!’ If I yell to the boy, ‘Hey! The arrows are closer this way. Come and pick them up,’ then you can come to me, because you are safe, and as the Lord lives, there is no danger. 22But if I yell to the boy, ‘Hey! The arrows are farther out,’ then go on your way, for the Lord has sent you away. 23Concerning this matter that you and I have spoken about, the Lord stands as a witness between you and me forever.”[] 