Jonathan and David

18 Now it came about, when he had finished speaking to Saul, that ^[a](A)Jonathan committed himself to David, and ^(B)Jonathan loved him as himself. ² And Saul took him that day and ^(C)did not let him return to his father’s house. ³ Then ^(D)Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. ^4 (E)Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his military gear, including his sword, his bow, and his belt.

David Protected from Saul

19 Now Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants ^(A)to put David to death. But ^(B)Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David. ² So Jonathan informed David, saying, “My father Saul is seeking to put you to death. Now then, please be on your guard in the morning, and stay in a hiding place and conceal yourself. ³ And as for me, I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are hiding, and I will speak with my father about you; and ^(C)whatever I ^[a]find out, I will tell you.” ⁴ Then Jonathan ^(D)spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “^(E)May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very ^[b]beneficial to you. ⁵ For ^(F)he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and ^(G)the Lord brought about a great ^[c]victory for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. ^(H)Why then would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death ^[d]for no reason?” ⁶ Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the Lord lives, David shall not be put to death.” ⁷ Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as ^(I)before.

⁸ When there was war again, David went out and fought the Philistines and ^[e]defeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled from him.

David and Jonathan’s Covenant

20 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and he came and ^(A)said ^[a]to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?” ² He said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die! Behold, my father does nothing either great or small ^[b]without informing me. So why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!” ³ Yet David ^(B)vowed again, ^[c]saying, “Your father is well aware that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Jonathan is not to know this, otherwise he will be worried.’ But indeed ^(C)as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is ^[d]just a step between me and death.” ⁴ Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever ^[e]you say, I will do for you.”