1 Samuel 20:9-23

Christian Standard Bible

⁹ “No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”

¹⁰ So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

¹¹ He answered David, “Come on, let’s go out to the countryside.” So both of them went out to the countryside. ¹² “By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If I find out that he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? ¹³ If my father intends to bring evil on you, may the Lord punish Jonathan and do so severely^(A) if I do not tell you and send you away so you may leave safely. May the Lord be with you,^(B) just as he was with my father. ¹⁴ If I continue to live, show me kindness^[a] from the Lord, but if I die, ¹⁵ don’t ever withdraw your kindness from my household—not even when the Lord cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”^{(C) 16} Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,^(D) saying, “May the Lord hold David’s enemies accountable.”^{[b](E) 17} Jonathan once again swore to David^[c] in his love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.^(F)

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon;^(G) you’ll be missed because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹ The following day hurry down and go to the place where you hid on the day this incident began and stay beside the rock Ezel. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows beside it as if I’m aiming at a target. ²¹ Then I will send a servant and say, ‘Go and find the arrows!’ Now, if I expressly say to the servant, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you—get them,’ then come, because as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no problem. ²² But if I say this to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you!’ ^(H) then go, for the Lord is sending you away. ²³ As for the matter you and I have spoken about,^(I) the Lord will be a witness^[d] between you and me forever.”^(J)