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.”