17. And Jonathan continued to swear to David, because he loved him. For he loved him like his own soul.
18. And Jonathan said to him: "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be sought.
19. For your seat will be empty until the day after tomorrow. Therefore, you shall descend quickly, and you shall go to the place where you are to be hidden, on a day when it is lawful to work, and you shall remain beside the stone that is called Ezel.
20. And I will shoot three arrows near it, and I will cast them as if I were practicing for myself toward a mark.
21. Also, I will send a boy, saying to him, 'Go and bring the arrows to me.'
22. If I will say to the boy, 'Behold, the arrows are before you, take them up,' you shall approach before me, because there is peace for you, and there is nothing evil, as the Lord lives. But if I will have spoken to the boy in this way, 'Behold, the arrows are away from you,' then you shall go away in peace, for the Lord has released you.
23. Now about the word that you and I have spoken, may the Lord be between you and me, even forever."
24. Therefore, David was hidden in the field. And the new moon came, and the king sat down to eat bread.
25. And when the king had sat down on his chair, (according to custom) which was beside the wall, Jonathan rose up, and Abner sat beside Saul, and David's place appeared empty.
26. And Saul did not say anything on that day. For he was thinking that perhaps something happened to him, so that he was not clean, or not purified.
27. And when the second day after the new moon had begun to dawn, David's place again appeared empty. And Saul said to Jonathan, his son, "Why has the son of Jesse not arrived to eat, neither yesterday, nor today?"
28. And Jonathan responded to Saul, "He petitioned me earnestly that he might go to Bethlehem,
29. and he said: 'Permit me. For there is a solemn sacrifice in the city. One of my brothers has summoned me. Now therefore, if I have found favor in your eyes, I will go quickly, and I will see my brothers.' For this reason, he has not come to the table of the king."
30. Then Saul, becoming angry against Jonathan, said to him: "You son of a woman wantonly seizing a man! Could I be ignorant that you love the son of Jesse, to your own shame, and to the shame of your disgraceful mother?
31. For all the days that the son of Jesse moves upon earth, neither you, nor your kingdom, will be secure. And so, send and bring him to me, here and now. For he is a son of death."