1 Samuel 20:14-23

GOD’S WORD Translation

¹⁴ But as long as I live, ⌞promise me that you will⌟ show me kindness because of the Lord. And even when I die, ¹⁵ never stop being kind to my family. The Lord will wipe each of David’s enemies off the face of the earth. ¹⁶ At that time, if Jonathan’s name ^[a] is cut off from David’s family, then may the Lord punish David’s house.” ^[b]

¹⁷ Once again Jonathan swore an oath to David because of his love for David. He loved David as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself. ¹⁸ “Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival,” Jonathan told him, “and you will be missed when your seat is empty. ¹⁹ The day after tomorrow you will be missed even more. So go to the place where you hid on that other occasion, and stay by the rock. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows from beside it toward a target. ²¹ Then I will send out a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ Now, if I tell the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are next to you; get them,’ then come ⌞back with me⌟. You will be safe, and there will be no trouble. I swear it, as the Lord lives. ²² But if I tell the boy, ‘The arrows are next to you,’ then go, because the Lord has sent you away. ²³ We have made a promise to each other, and the Lord is ⌞a witness⌟ between you and me forever.”