⁷ But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

³ Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

¹² Jonathan said to David, “By Yahweh, the God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, won’t I then send to you, and disclose it to you? ¹³ Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace. May Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father. ¹⁴ You shall not only show me the loving kindness of Yahweh while I still live, that I not die; ¹⁵ but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when Yahweh has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.” ¹⁶ So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “Yahweh will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” ¹⁷ Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

¹⁸ They both made a covenant before Yahweh. Then David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his house.