1 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 thy father, that he seeketh my life?
2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, 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.
6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David 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.
7 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.
8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
9 And Jonathan 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?
10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12 And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;
13 The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not:
15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
19 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.
20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21 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 the Lord liveth.
22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.
23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.
24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25 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.
26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:
29 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 favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.
30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?
31 For as long as the son of Jesse 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.
32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35 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.
36 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.
37 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 thee?
38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
41 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.
42 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 thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

1And Dauid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sinne before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

2And he said vnto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die; beholde, my father will doe nothing, either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

3And Dauid sware moreouer, and said, Thy father certeinly knoweth that I haue found grace in thine eyes, and he sayth, Let not Ionathan know this, lest he be grieued: but truely, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, there is but a step betweene me & death.

4Then said Ionathan vnto Dauid, Whatsoeuer thy soule desireth, I will euen doe it for thee.

5And Dauid said vnto Ionathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moone, and I should not faile to sit with the king at meate: but let me goe, that I may hide my selfe in the fields vnto the third day at euen.

6If thy father at all misse me, then say, Dauid earnestly asked leaue of me that he might runne to Bethlehem his citie: for there is a yeerely sacrifice there for all the family.

7If he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that euill is determined by him.

8Therefore thou shalt deale kindly with thy seruant, for thou hast brought thy seruant into a couenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquitie, slay me thy selfe: for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

9And Ionathan said, Farre be it from thee: for if I knew certainely that euill were determined by my father to come vpon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

10Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answere thee roughly?

11 And Ionathan said vnto Dauid, Come, and let vs goe out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

12And Ionathan said vnto Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, when I haue sounded my father, about to morrow any time, or the third day, and behold, if there be good toward Dauid, and I then send not vnto thee, and shew it thee;

13The Lord doe so and much more to Ionathan: but if it please my father to doe thee euill, then I wil shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest goe in peace, and the Lord be with thee, as hee hath beene with my father.

14And thou shalt not onely while yet I liue, shew me the kindnesse of the Lord, that I die not:

15But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindnesse from my house for euer: no not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of Dauid, euery one from the face of the earth.

16So Ionathan made a couenant with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lord euen require it at the hande of Dauids enemies.

17And Ionathan caused Dauid to sweare againe, because he loued him: for he loued him as he loued his owne soule.

18Then Ionathan said to Dauid, To morrow is the newe moone: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat wil be emptie.

19And when thou hast stayed three dayes, then thou shalt goe downe quickly, and come to the place where thou diddest hide thy selfe, when the businesse was in hand, and shalt remaine by the stone Ezel.

20And I will shoot three arrowes on the side thereof, as though I shot at a marke.

21And behold, I will send a ladde, saying, Goe, find out the arrowes. If I expresly say vnto the lad, Behold, the arrowes are on this side of thee, take them: then come thou, for there is peace to thee, and no hurt, as the Lord liueth.

22But if I say thus vnto the yong man, Behold, the arrowes are beyond thee: goe thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee away.

23And as touching the matter which thou and I haue spoken of, behold, the Lord be betweene thee and mee for euer.

24 So Dauid hid himselfe in the field: and when the newe moone was come, the king sate him downe to eate meate.

25And the king sate vpon his seate, as at other times, euen vpon a seate by the wall: and Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls side, and Dauids place was emptie.

26Neuerthelesse, Saul spake not any thing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, hee is not cleane; surely he is not cleane.

27And it came to passe on the morrow which was the second day of the moneth, that Dauids place was emptie: and Saul said vnto Ionathan his sonne, Wherefore commeth not the sonne of Iesse to meat, neither yesterday nor to day?

28And Ionathan answered Saul, Dauid earnestly asked leaue of me, to goe to Bethlehem.

29And he said, Let me goe, I pray thee, for our familie hath a sacrifice in the citie, and my brother, hee hath commanded mee to be there: and now if I haue found fauour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren: Therefore he commeth not vnto the kings table.

30Then Sauls anger was kindled against Ionathan, and hee said vnto him, Thou sonne of the peruerse rebellious woman, doe not I know that thou hast chosen the sonne of Iesse to thine owne confusion, and vnto the confusion of thy mothers nakednesse?

31For as long as the sonne of Iesse liueth vpon the ground, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdome: wherefore now send and fetch him vnto mee, for he shall surely die.

32And Ionathan answered Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shall hee be slaine? what hath hee done?

33And Saul cast a iauelin at him to smite him, whereby Ionathan knewe that it was determined of his father to slay Dauid.

34So Ionathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eate no meat the second day of the moneth: for hee was grieued for Dauid, because his father had done him shame.

35 And it came to passe in the morning, that Ionathan went out into the field, at the time appointed with Dauid, and a little ladde with him.

36And he said vnto his lad, Runne, finde out now the arrowes which I shoote. And as the ladde ranne, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37And when the ladde was come to the place of the arrow, which Ionathan had shot, Ionathan cryed after the ladde, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38And Ionathan cryed after the ladde, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Ionathans ladde gathered vp the arrowes, and came to his master.

39But the lad knew not any thing: onely Ionathan and Dauid knew the matter.

40And Ionathan gaue his artillery vnto his ladde, and said vnto him, Goe, cary them to the citie.

41 And assoone as the ladde was gone, Dauid arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himselfe three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, vntill Dauid exceeded.

42And Ionathan said to Dauid, Goe in peace, forasmuch as wee haue sworne both of vs in the Name of the Lord, saying; The Lord be betweene me and thee, and betweene my seede and thy seede for euer. And hee arose, and departed: and Ionathan went into the citie.

II == 1st Sam 9:15 ; 20:12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V == Num 10:10 ; 28:11 ; 1st Sam 19:2

 

XI == 1st Sam 9:12 ; 16:4

 

 

 

VII == Deut 1:23 ; 1st Sam 25:17 ; 2nd Sam 17:4 ; Esth 7:7

VIII == Josh 2:14 ; 1st Sam 18:3 ; 20:16 ; 23:18 ; 2nd Sam 14:32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XII == 1st Sam 20:2

 

 

 

 

XIII == Josh 1:5 ; Ruth 1:17 ; 1st Chr 22:11 , 16

 

 

 

 

 

XV == 2nd Sam 9:1 , 3 , 7 ; 21:7

 

XVI == 1st Sam 25:22 ; 31:2 ; 2nd Sam 4:7 ; 21:8

 

XVII == 1st Sam 18:1

 

XVIII == 1st Sam 20:5

 

XIX == 1st Sam 19:2

 

 

 

 

 

XXI == Jer 4:2

 

 

 

XXII == 1st Sam 20:14-15 , 42

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVI == Lev 7:21 ; 15:5

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVIII = 1st Sam 20:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXII == 1st Sam 19:5 ; Matt 27:23 ; Luke 23:22

XXXIII == 1st Sam 18:11 ; 20:7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XLII == 1st Sam 1:17 ; 20:23

 

 

1 David fled from the sheds near Ramah, and went to Jonathan. "What have I done?" he asked him. "What crime or what offense does your father hold against me that he seeks my life?"

2 Jonathan answered him: "Heaven forbid that you should die! My father does nothing, great or small, without disclosing it to me. Why, then, should my father conceal this from me? This cannot be so!"

3 But David replied: "Your father is well aware that I am favored with your friendship, so he has decided, 'Jonathan must not know of this lest he be grieved.' Nevertheless, as the LORD lives and as you live, there is but a step between me and death."

4 Jonathan then said to David, "I will do whatever you wish."

5 David answered: "Tomorrow is the new moon, when I should in fact dine with the king. Let me go and hide in the open country until evening.

6 If it turns out that your father misses me, say, 'David urged me to let him go on short notice to his city Bethlehem, because his whole clan is holding its seasonal sacrifice there.'

7 If he says, 'Very well,' your servant is safe. But if he becomes quite angry, you can be sure he has planned some harm.

8 Do this kindness for your servant because of the LORD'S bond between us, into which you brought me: if I am guilty, kill me yourself! Why should you give me up to your father?"

9 But Jonathan answered: "Not I! If ever I find out that my father is determined to inflict injury upon you, I will certainly let you know."

10 David then asked Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father gives you a harsh answer?"

11 (Jonathan replied to David, "Come, let us go out into the field." When they were out in the open country together,

12 Jonathan said to David: "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, I will sound out my father about this time tomorrow. Whether he is well disposed toward David or not, I will send you the information.

13 Should it please my father to bring any injury upon you, may the LORD do thus and so to Jonathan if I do not apprise you of it and send you on your way in peace. May the LORD be with you even as he was with my father.

14 Only this: if I am still alive, may you show me the kindness of the LORD. But if I die,

15 never withdraw your kindness from my house. And when the LORD exterminates all the enemies of David from the surface of the earth,

16 the name of Jonathan must never be allowed by the family of David to die out from among you, or the LORD will make you answer for it."

17 And in his love for David, Jonathan renewed his oath to him, because he loved him as his very self.)

18 Jonathan then said to him: "Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, since your place will be vacant.

19 On the following day you will be missed all the more. Go to the spot where you hid on the other occasion and wait near the mound there.

20 On the third day of the month I will shoot arrows, as though aiming at a target.

21 I will then send my attendant to go and recover the arrows. If in fact I say to him, 'Look, the arrow is this side of you; pick it up,' come, for you are safe. As the LORD lives, there will be nothing to fear.

22 But if I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrow is beyond you,' go, for the LORD sends you away.

23 However, in the matter which you and I have discussed, the LORD shall be between you and me forever."

24 So David hid in the open country. On the day of the new moon, when the king sat at table to dine,

25 taking his usual place against the wall, Jonathan sat facing him, while Abner sat at the king's side, and David's place was vacant.

26 Saul, however, said nothing that day, for he thought, "He must have become unclean by accident, and not yet have been cleansed."

27 On the next day, the second day of the month, David's place was vacant. Saul inquired of his son Jonathan, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to table yesterday or today?"

28 Jonathan answered Saul: "David urgently asked me to let him go to his city, Bethlehem.

29 'Please let me go,' he begged, 'for we are to have a clan sacrifice in our city, and my brothers insist on my presence. Now, therefore, if you think well of me, give me leave to visit my brothers.' That is why he has not come to the king's table."

30 But Saul was extremely angry with Jonathan and said to him: "Son of a rebellious woman, do I not know that, to your own shame and to the disclosure of your mother's shame, you are the companion of Jesse's son?

31 Why, as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, you cannot make good your claim to the kingship! So send for him, and bring him to me, for he is doomed."

32 But Jonathan asked his father Saul: "Why should he die? What has he done?"

33 At this Saul brandished his spear to strike him, and thus Jonathan learned that his father was resolved to kill David.

34 Jonathan sprang up from the table in great anger and took no food that second day of the month, for he was grieved on David's account, since his father had railed against him.

35 The next morning Jonathan went out into the field with a little boy for his appointment with David.

36 There he said to the boy, "Run and fetch the arrow." And as the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him in the direction of the city.

37 When the boy made for the spot where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called after him, "The arrow is farther on!"

38 Again he called to his lad, "Hurry, be quick, don't delay!" Jonathan's boy picked up the arrow and brought it to his master.

39 The boy knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew what was meant.

40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to this boy of his and said to him, "Go, take them to the city."

41 When the boy had left, David rose from beside the mound and prostrated himself on the ground three times before Jonathan in homage. They kissed each other and wept aloud together.

42 At length Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, in keeping with what we two have sworn by the name of the LORD: 'The LORD shall be between you and me, and between your posterity and mine forever.'"

v 1,2. While Saul lay in a trance, David escaped back to Jonathan, innocently imploring what he had done to make Saul want to kill him. Jonathan just could not believe that his father would do such a terrible thing without telling him.

 

 

v 3-10. David convinced Jonathan that Saul would indeed hide it from him, being David’s friend, and David’s death was imminent. When Jonathan offered to help, David suggested he would hide and absent himself from the feast the next two evenings and Jonathan would make excuse for him to get Saul’s reaction. If he was satisfied, there would be peace, but if he was angry there would be trouble. David asked further, that if he had done wrong, for Jonathan to ignore their covenant and kill him himself, not turn him over to his father. He vowed not to do that, so David asked how Jonathan would get word to him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 11-23. Jonathan took David to a field by a hiding place near a stone, Ezel. Ezel means departure, but it would not have been named that until after this incident. Verses 13-15 indicate that Jonathan knew David would be king and wanted not only the best for him, but a pledge of his kindness to Jonathan’s family as well. The next day and the day following, David was to come to that rock and Jonathan would let him know the results. This would be by shooting arrows. If he told the lad with him specifically that the arrows landed this side of him, all would be well, but if he told the lad they had landed beyond him, David should flee. This would be in case Jonathan had no opportunity to personally give leave to David. Jonathan pledged secrecy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 24-29. Jonathan arose in respect to the king and probably then sat across from him with Abner at Saul’s side. David would have been seated near Saul,  and he saw David was not there,  but supposed he must have abstained because he was ceremonially unclean, Lev. 15. This would not be unusual, because so many things, even the normal marriage privilege would make a person unclean. However when he was gone the second night, he asked and Jonathan made the excuse that David’s family had a special sacrifice and he had asked for permission to go there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 30-34. Saul had thought this was the opportunity he could seize David, so he angrily turned on Jonathan, addressing him in foul language that implicated his mother in a vile way, just as profane people do yet today. Then (proving he knew David was anointed to be king) he called him a fool, because as long as David lived, Jonathan could not have the throne. Finally he ordered Jonathan to have David brought for execution. When Jonathan requested what David had done worthy of death, Saul was in such a rage he threw his javelin with intent to kill his own son. Now Jonathan was convinced of the threat on David’s life, and left in anger, partly for his grief for David, and partly for the shameful way he had been treated. No doubt all the guests would have been embarrassed or ashamed, and the entire evening spoiled.

 

 

v 35--40. Jonathan overshot and emphasized David’s danger by telling the lad, “Make haste, speed, stay not”, before sending him away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 41,42. Since there were no observers, David and Jonathan were able to meet for a tearful farewell. They renewed their covenant and each went their own way. They would meet briefly one more time in chapter 23.