4. "What do you want me to do?" Jonathan said to David. "I’ll do it."
5. "Okay, listen," David answered Jonathan. "Tomorrow is the new moon, and I’m supposed to sit with the king at the feast. Instead, let me go and I’ll hide in the field until nighttime.
6. If your father takes note of my absence, tell him, ‘David begged my permission to run down to his hometown Bethlehem, because there is an annual sacrifice there for his whole family.’
7. If Saul says ‘Fine,’ then I, your servant, am safe. But if he loses his temper, then you’ll know for certain that he intends to harm me.
8. So be loyal to your servant, because you’ve brought your servant into a sacred covenant with you. If I’m guilty, then kill me yourself; just don’t take me back to your father."
9. "Enough!" Jonathan replied. "If I can determine for certain that my father intends to harm you, of course I’ll tell you!"
10. "Who will tell me if your father responds harshly?" David asked Jonathan.
11. "Come on," Jonathan said to David. "Let’s go into the field." So both of them went out into the field.
12. Then Jonathan told David, "I pledge by the Lord God of Israel that I will question my father by this time tomorrow or on the third day. If he seems favorable toward David, I will definitely send word and make sure you know.
13. But if my father intends to harm you, then may the Lord deal harshly with me, Jonathan, and worse still if I don’t tell you right away so that you can escape safely. May the Lord be with you as he once was with my father.