³ Then ^(A)Jonathan cut a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul.

¹² Then Jonathan said to David, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have examined my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and reveal it in your ear? ¹³ If it please my father to do you harm, ^(A)may Yahweh do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not reveal it in your ear and send you away, that you may go in peace. And ^(B)may Yahweh be with you as He has been with my father. ¹⁴ And if I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of Yahweh, that I may not die? ^15 (C)You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when Yahweh cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” ¹⁶ So Jonathan cut a covenant with the house of David, saying, “^(D)May Yahweh require it at the hands of David’s enemies.” ¹⁷ And Jonathan made David swear again because of his love for him, because ^(E)he loved him as he loved his own soul.

⁴² And Jonathan said to David, “^(A)Go in peace, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of Yahweh, saying, ‘^(B)Yahweh will be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed forever.’” ^[a]Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.

David’s Lovingkindness to Mephibosheth

9 Then David said, “Is there yet ^[a]anyone left of the house of Saul, ^(A)that I may show him lovingkindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

⁷ But the king spared ^(A)Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, ^(B)because of the oath of Yahweh which was between them, between David and Saul’s son Jonathan.