1 Samuel 20:8-17

Legacy Standard Bible

⁸ Therefore show lovingkindness to your servant, for ^(A)you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you. But ^(B)if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” ⁹ And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed come to know that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?” ¹⁰ Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me ^[a]if your father answers you harshly?” ¹¹ And Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.

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, ^(C)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 ^(D)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 (E)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, “^(F)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 ^(G)he loved him as he loved his own soul.