1 Shamu'al 20

And Dawid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Yonathan, "What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?"

And he said unto him, "Alahiym forbid; thou shalt 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 Dawid swore moreover, and said, "Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Yonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death."

Then said Yonathan unto Dawid, "Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee."

And Dawid said unto Yonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon (Chodesh), 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."

"If thy father at all miss me, then say, Dawid earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family."

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

"Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?"

And Yonathan said, "Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?"

Then said Dawid to Yonathan, "Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?"

And Yonathan said unto Dawid, "Come, and let us go out into the field." And they went out both of them into the field.

And Yonathan said unto Dawid, "O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Alahiym of Yashar'al, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward Dawid, and I then send not unto thee, and show it thee;"

"𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 do so and much more to Yonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will show it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 be with thee, as he hath been with my father."

"And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, that I die not:"

"But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 hath cut off the enemies of Dawid every one from the face of the earth."

So Yonathan made a covenant with the house of Dawid, saying, "Let 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 even require it at the hand of Dawid's enemies."

And Yonathan caused Dawid to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

Then Yonathan said to Dawid, "Tomorrow is the new moon (Chodesh): and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty."

"And when thou hast stayed three days, then 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."

"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 thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 liveth."

"But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 hath sent thee away."

"And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 be between thee and me for ever."

So Dawid hid himself in the field: and when the new moon (Chodesh) was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Yonathan arose, and Abner sat by Shaul's side, and Dawid's place was empty.

Nevertheless Shaul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, "Something hath 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 Dawid's place was empty: and Shaul said unto Yonathan his son, "Wherefore cometh not the son of Yishai to meat, neither yesterday, nor today?"

And Yonathan answered Shaul, "Dawid earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:"

"And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table."

Then Shaul's anger was kindled against Yonathan, and he said unto him, "Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Yishai to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?"

"For as long as the son of Yishai liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die."

And Yonathan answered Shaul his father, and said unto him, "Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?"

And Shaul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Yonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay Dawid.

So Yonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for Dawid, because his father had done him shame.

And it came to pass in the morning, that Yonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with Dawid, 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 Yonathan had shot, Yonathan cried after the lad, and said, "Is not the arrow beyond thee?"

And Yonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste, stay not." And Yonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his adun.

But the lad knew not any thing: only Yonathan and Dawid knew the matter.

And Yonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, "Go, carry them to the city."

And as soon as the lad was gone, Dawid 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 Dawid exceeded.

And Yonathan said to Dawid, "Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, saying, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever." And he arose and departed: and Yonathan went into the city.