1 Samuel 20:11-23

English Standard Version

¹¹ And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.

¹² And Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness!^[a] When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? ¹³ But should it please my father to do you harm, ^(A)the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. ^(B)May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. ¹⁴ If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die; ^15 (C)and do not cut off^[b] your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” ¹⁶ And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ^(D)“May^[c] the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies.” ¹⁷ And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, ^(E)for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to him, ^(F)“Tomorrow is the new moon, and ^(G)you will be missed, because ^(H)your seat will be empty. ¹⁹ On the third day go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside the stone heap.^{[d] 20} And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. ²¹ And behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you are to come, for, ^(I)as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. ²² But if I say to the youth, ^(J)‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the Lord has sent you away. ^23 (K)And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, ^(L)the Lord is between you and me forever.”