2. Jonathan answered, “That can’t be true! My father isn’t trying to kill you. My father doesn’t do anything without first telling me. It doesn’t matter how important it is, my father always tells me. Why would my father refuse to tell me that he wants to kill you? No, it is not true!”
3. But David answered, “Your father knows very well that I am your friend. Your father said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know about it. If he knows, he will tell David.’ But as surely as you and the Lord are alive, I am very close to death.”
4. Jonathan said to David, “I will do anything you want me to do.”
5. Then David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon celebration. I am supposed to eat with the king, but let me hide in the field until the evening.
6. If your father notices I am gone, tell him, ‘David wanted to go home to Bethlehem. His family is having its own feast for this monthly sacrifice. David asked me to let him run down to Bethlehem and join his family.’
7. If your father says, ‘Fine,’ then I am safe. But if your father becomes angry, you will know that he wants to hurt me.
8. Jonathan, be kind to me. I am your servant. You have made an agreement with me before the Lord. If I am guilty, you may kill me yourself, but don’t take me to your father.”
9. Jonathan answered, “No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you.”
10. David said, “Who will warn me if your father says bad things to you?”
11. Then Jonathan said, “Come, let’s go out into the field.” So Jonathan and David went together into the field.
12. Jonathan said to David, “I make this promise before the Lord, the God of Israel. I promise that I will learn how my father feels about you. I will learn if he feels good about you or not. Then, in three days, I will send a message to you in the field.
13. If my father wants to hurt you, I will let you know. I will let you leave in safety. May the Lord punish me if I don’t do this. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father.
16. So Jonathan made this agreement with David and his family, and he asked the Lord to hold them responsible for keeping it.
17. Jonathan loved David as himself, and because of this love, he asked David to repeat this agreement for himself.
18. Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon celebration. Your seat will be empty, so my father will see that you are gone.
19. On the third day go to the same place you hid when this trouble began. Wait by that hill.
20. On the third day I will go to that hill and shoot three arrows as if I am shooting at a target.
21. Then I will tell the boy to go find the arrows. If everything is fine, I will tell the boy, ‘You went too far! The arrows are closer to me. Come back and get them.’ If I say that, you can come out of hiding. I promise, as surely as the Lord lives, you are safe. There is no danger.