15. You must not stop showing your kindness to my family. Don’t do this, even when the Lord has destroyed all your enemies from the earth.”
16. So Jonathan made an agreement with David. He said, “May the Lord punish David’s enemies.”
17. And Jonathan asked David to repeat his promise of love for him. He did this because he loved David as much as he loved himself.
18. Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon festival. Your seat will be empty. So my father will notice you’re gone.
19. On the third day go to the place where you hid when this trouble began. Wait by the rock Ezel.
20. On the third day I will shoot three arrows to the side of the rock. I will shoot as if I am shooting at a target.
21. Then I will send a boy and tell him to go find the arrows. I may say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you. Bring them here.’ If so, you may come out of hiding. You may do this as surely as the Lord lives because you are safe. There is no danger.
22. But I may say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you.’ If I do, you must go, because the Lord has sent you away.
23. Remember what we talked about. The Lord is a witness between you and me forever.”
24. So David hid in the field. And when the New Moon festival came, the king sat down to eat.
25. He sat where he always sat, near the wall. Jonathan sat across from him, and Abner sat next to him. But David’s place was empty.
26. That day Saul said nothing. He thought, “Maybe something has happened to David so that he is unclean.”
27. But the next day was the second day of the month. And David’s place was empty again. So Saul said to Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the festival yesterday or today?”
28. Jonathan answered, “David begged me to let him go to Bethlehem.
29. He said, ‘Let me go, because our family has a sacrifice in the town. And my brother has ordered me to be there. Now if I am your friend, please let me go and see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”
30. Then Saul became very angry with Jonathan. He said, “You son of an evil and disobedient woman! I know you are on the side of David son of Jesse! You bring shame on yourself and on your mother who gave birth to you.
31. As long as Jesse’s son lives, you’ll never be king or have a kingdom. Now send for David and bring him to me. He must die!”
32. Jonathan asked his father, “Why should David be killed? What wrong has he done?”
33. Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan, trying to kill him. So Jonathan knew that his father really wanted to kill David.
34. Jonathan was very angry and left the table. That second day of the month he refused to eat. He was upset about what his father wanted to do to David.