1 Samuel 20:11-23

New International Version

¹¹ “Come,” Jonathan said, “let’s go out into the field.” So they went there together.

¹² Then Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound^(A) out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? ¹³ But if my father intends to harm you, may the Lord deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely,^(B) if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the Lord be with^(C) you as he has been with my father. ¹⁴ But show me unfailing kindness^(D) like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, ¹⁵ and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family^(E)—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

¹⁶ So Jonathan^(F) made a covenant^(G) with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.^(H)” ¹⁷ And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath^(I) out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.^{(J) 19} The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid^(K) when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows^(L) to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. ²¹ Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the Lord lives, you are safe; there is no danger. ²² But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond^(M) you,’ then you must go, because the Lord has sent you away. ²³ And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the Lord is witness^(N) between you and me forever.”