A Friend Between David and Death
20 1 David fled Naioth in Ramah, came to Jonathan, and said, "What have I done, what is my guilt, what is my sin against your father, that he wants my life?"
2 Jonathan replied, "Never! You won't die. My father tells me everything, great or small. Why hide this from me? Not true."
3 But David swore again, "Your father knows I have your favor, so he thought, 'Don't tell Jonathan, or he'll grieve.' Yet as our Father lives, and as you live, there's only a step between me and death."
4 Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you want, I will do for you."
5 David said, "Tomorrow's the new moon; I should eat with the king. Let me hide in the field until the third evening." a a v5 The new moon festival was a monthly celebration marking the first day of the Hebrew month, observed with special sacrifices and a formal communal meal at the king's table. 6 If your father misses me, say, 'David begged leave to hurry to Bethlehem, his town, for his whole clan's yearly sacrifice.' 7 If he says, 'Good,' your servant is safe. If he's angry, know he has decided harm against me. 8 Show your servant kindness—you brought me into a covenant with you before our Father. If I'm guilty, kill me yourself; why hand me over to your father?
9 "Never!" Jonathan said. "If I knew my father meant to harm you, wouldn't I tell you?"
10 David asked, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"
11 "Come," Jonathan said, "let's go out to the field." So the two of them went out together. 12 Jonathan said to David, "The LORD, God of Israel, is witness: I'll sound out my father tomorrow or the third day — if he favors you, I'll send word to you." 13 But if my father means to harm you, may our Father punish me severely if I don't warn you and send you off safely. May our Father be with you, as he was with my father. 14 But show me our Father's unfailing love as long as I live, so I won't die, 15 Never cut off your kindness from my family—even when our Father cuts off every enemy of David from the earth. 16 Jonathan made a covenant with David's house, saying, "May our Father hold David's enemies accountable." 17 Jonathan again made David swear by his love for him, for he loved him as his life. 18 Then Jonathan said, "Tomorrow is the new moon. You'll be missed, since your seat will be empty. 19 The day after tomorrow, hurry down to where you hid when this began, and stay by the stone Ezel. 20 I'll shoot three arrows to its side, as if aiming at a target. 21 I'll send the boy to find the arrows. If I tell him, 'They're on this side of you—get them,' then come; as our Father lives, you're safe, no danger. 22 But if I tell the boy, 'The arrows are beyond you,' go — our Father has sent you away. 23 And about what you and I spoke of—remember, our Father is between you and me forever.
24 So David hid in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat. 25 The king sat in his usual seat by the wall, Jonathan opposite, Abner beside Saul—David's place empty. 26 That day Saul said nothing, thinking, "Something happened to David; he's unclean—surely not clean." b b v26 Being ceremonially unclean was a temporary ritual state — caused by many ordinary things — that barred a person from taking part in sacred meals or worship.
27 Next day, the second of the month, David's place was empty. Saul asked his son Jonathan, "Why hasn't Jesse's son come to eat, yesterday or today?"
28 Jonathan replied, "David begged me to let him go to Bethlehem." 29 He said, 'Let me go — our family has a sacrifice in town, and my brother ordered me there. If I have your favor, let me slip away and see my brothers.' That's why he hasn't come to the king's table.
30 Saul raged at Jonathan: "Son of a rebellious, perverse woman! Don't I know you've sided with Jesse's son—to your shame and your mother's nakedness?" 31 As long as Jesse's son lives on earth, neither you nor your kingdom is secure. Send and bring him to me; he must die.
32 "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" Jonathan asked his father.
33 Saul threw his spear at him to strike him down, so Jonathan knew his father was determined to kill David. 34 Jonathan rose from the table in burning anger, ate nothing that month's second day, grieved for David because his father had disgraced him.
35 At morning Jonathan went out to the field to meet David, a young boy with him. 36 He told his boy, "Run, find the arrows I shoot." As he ran, Jonathan shot the arrow past him. 37 As the boy reached the arrow Jonathan shot, Jonathan called after him, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?" 38 Jonathan called after the boy, "Hurry! Quick! Don't stop!" He gathered the arrows and came to his master. 39 The boy knew nothing of all this; only Jonathan and David knew what it meant. 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and told him, "Go, carry them back to town."
41 When the boy left, David rose from beside the stone's south side, fell facedown, and bowed three times. They kissed and wept together, David weeping most. 42 Jonathan told David, "Go in peace — we both swore in our Father's name: 'Our Father is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine, forever.'" David rose and left; Jonathan returned to town.
