1 Samuel 20:1-10

David and Jonathan’s Covenant

Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and ^asaid before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?” 2 And he said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without revealing it in my ear. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!” 3 Yet David ^aswore again, ¹saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly ^bas Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, there is ²hardly a step between me and death.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul says, I will do for you.” 5 So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is ^athe new moon, and I ought ^bto sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, ^cthat I may hide myself in the field until the third evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to ^aBethlehem his city because it is ^bthe yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’ 7 If he ¹says, ‘It is good,’ your servant will have peace; but if he is very angry, ^aknow that he has decided on evil. 8 Therefore show lovingkindness to your servant, for ^ayou have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you. But ^bif there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” 9 And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed come to know that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me ¹if your father answers you harshly?”

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