1 Samuel 20
1 And Dauid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and sayd before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquitie? and what sinne haue I committed before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeks my life?
2 And he sayde vnto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die: beholde, my father will do nothing great nor small, but he will shewe it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? he will not doe it.
And he said to him, Far from it. Thou shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me, and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.
3 And Dauid sware againe and sayd, Thy father knoweth that I haue found grace in thine eyes: therefore he thinketh, Ionathan shall not knowe it, lest he be sorie: but in deede, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, there is but a step betweene me and death.
And David swore moreover, and said, Thy father knows well that I have found favor in thine eyes, and he says, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved. But truly as Jehovah lives, and as thy soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
4 Then said Ionathan vnto Dauid, Whatsoeuer thy soule requireth, that I wil do vnto thee.
Then Jonathan said to David, Whatever thy soul desires, I will even do it for thee.
5 And Dauid said vnto Ionathan, Behold, to morowe is the first day of the moneth, and I shoulde sit with the King at meate: but let me goe, that I may hide my selfe in the fieldes vnto the third day at euen.
And David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.
6 If thy father make mention of me, then say, Dauid asked leaue of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem to his owne citie: for there is a yeerely sacrifice for all that familie.
If thy father misses me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7 And if he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be angrie, be sure that wickednesse is concluded of him.
If he says thus, It is well. Thy servant shall have peace. But if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
8 So shalt thou shew mercy vnto thy seruant: for thou hast ioyned thy seruant into a couenant of the Lord with thee, and if there be in me iniquitie, slay thou me: for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
Therefore deal kindly with thy servant, for thou have brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee. But if there be in me iniquity, kill me thyself, for why should thou bring me to thy father?
9 And Ionathan answered, God keepe that from thee: for if I knewe that wickednesse were concluded of my father to come vpon thee, would not I tell it thee?
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee, for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would I not tell it to thee?
10 Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who shall tell me? how shall I knowe, if thy father answere thee cruelly?
Then David said to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answers thee roughly?
11 And Ionathan sayde to Dauid, Come and let vs goe out into the fielde: and they twaine went out into the fielde.
And Jonathan said to David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12 Then Ionathan sayde to Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, when I haue groped my fathers minde to morow at this time, or within this three dayes, and if it be well with Dauid, and I then send not vnto thee, and shewe it thee,
And Jonathan said to David, Jehovah, the God of Israel-when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send to thee, and disclose it to thee?
13 The Lord doe so and much more vnto Ionathan: but if my father haue minde to doe thee euill, I will shew thee also, and sende thee away, that thou mayest goe in peace: and the Lord be with thee as he hath bene with my father.
Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I not disclose it to thee, and send thee away that thou may go in peace. And Jehovah be with thee as he has been with my father.
14 Likewise I require not whiles I liue: for I dout not but thou wilt shew me the mercy of the Lord, that I die not.
And thou shall not only show me the loving kindness of Jehovah, while I yet live, that I not die,
15 But I require that thou cut not off thy mercie from mine house for euer: no, not when the Lord hath destroyed the enemies of Dauid, euery one from the earth.
but also thou shall not cut off thy kindness from my house forever. No, not when Jehovah has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
16 So Ionathan made a bond with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lord require it at the hands of Dauids enemies.
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.
17 And againe Ionathan sware vnto Dauid, because he loued him (for he loued him as his owne soule)
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him. For he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 Then said Ionathan to him, To morowe is the first day of the moneth: and thou shalt be looked for, for thy place shalbe emptie.
Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon, and thou will be missed because thy seat will be empty.
19 Therefore thou shalt hide thy selfe three dayes, then thou shalt goe downe quickely and come to the place where thou diddest hide thy selfe, when this matter was in hand, and shalt remayne by the stone Ezel.
And when thou have stayed three days, thou shall go down quickly, and come to the place where thou hid thyself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel.
20 And I will shoote three arrowes on the side thereof, as though I shot at a marke.
And I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.
21 And after I wil sende a boy, saying, Goe, seeke the arrowes. If I say vnto the boy, See, the arrowes are on this side thee, bring them, and come thou: for it is well with thee and no hurt, as the Lord liueth.
And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them, and come, for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah lives.
22 But if I say thus vnto the boy, Behold, the arrowes are beyonde thee, goe thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.
But if I say thus to the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, go thy way, for Jehovah has sent thee away.
23 As touching the thing which thou and I haue spoken of, beholde, the Lord be betweene thee and me for euer.
And concerning the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me forever.
24 So Dauid hid him selfe in the field: and when the first day of the moneth came, the King sate to eate meate.
So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.
25 And the King sate, as at other times vpon his seate, euen vpon his seate by the wall: and Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls side, but Dauids place was emptie.
And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall, and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.
26 And Saul sayde nothing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, though he were cleane, or els becaus he was not purified.
Nevertheless Saul spoke nothing that day, for he thought, Something has befallen him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.
27 But on the morowe which was the second day of the moneth, Dauids place was emptie againe: and Saul sayde vnto Ionathan his sonne, Wherefore commeth not the sonne of Ishai to meate, neither yesterday nor to day?
And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, that David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has the son of Jesse not come in to the food, neither yesterday, nor today?
28 And Ionathan answered vnto Saul, Dauid required of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem.
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.
29 For he sayde, Let me goe, I pray thee: for our familie offreth a sacrifice in the citie, and my brother hath sent for me: therfore now if I haue found fauour in thine eyes, let me goe, I pray thee, and see my brethren: this is the cause that he commeth not vnto the Kings table.
And he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he has commanded me. And now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brothers. Therefore he has not come to the king's table.
30 Then was Saul angrie with Ionathan, and sayde vnto him, Thou sonne of the wicked rebellious woman, doe not I know, that thou hast chosen the sonne of Ishai to thy confusion, and to the confusion and shame of thy mother?
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do I not know that thou have chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?
31 For as long as the sonne of Ishai liueth vpon the earth, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdome: wherefore now send and fet him vnto me, for he shall surely die.
For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, thou shall not be established, nor thy kingdom. Therefore now send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die.
32 And Ionathan answered vnto Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shall he die? what hath he done?
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? What has he done?
33 And Saul cast a speare at him to hit him, whereby Ionathan knew, that it was determined of his father to slay Dauid.
And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him. By this Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to put David to death.
34 So Ionathan arose from the table in a great anger, and did eate no meate the seconde day of the moneth: for he was sorie for Dauid, and because his father had reuiled him.
So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David because his father had done him shame.
35 On the next morning therefore Ionathan than went out into the fielde, at the time appoynted with Dauid, and a litle boy with him.
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 saide vnto his boy, Runne now, seeke the arrowes which I shoote, and as the boy ran, he shot an arrowe beyond him.
And he said to his lad, Run, now find the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37 And when the boy was come to the place where the arrowe was that Ionathan had shot, Ionathan cryed after the boy, and sayde, Is not the arrowe beyond thee?
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 Ionathan cryed after the boy, Make speede, haste and stand not still: and Ionathans boy gathered vp the arrowes, and came to his master,
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 boy knewe nothing: onely Ionathan and Dauid knew the matter.
But the lad knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 Then Ionathan gaue his bowe and arrowes vnto the boy that was with him, and sayd vnto him, Goe, carrie them into the citie.
And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city.
41 Assoone as the boy was gone, Dauid arose out of a place that was towarde the South, and fel on his face to the ground, and bowed him selfe three times: and they kissed one another, and wept both twaine, till Dauid exceeded.
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 each other, and wept one with another until David surpassed him.
42 Therefore Ionathan said to Dauid, Goe in peace: that which we haue sworne both of vs in the Name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be betweene me and thee, and betweene my seede and betweene thy seede, let it stand for euer. And he arose and departed, and Ionathan went into the citie.
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, inasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, forever. And he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
