2. Jonathan answered, “No! You won’t die! See, my father doesn’t do anything great or small without first telling me. Why would he keep this from me? It’s not true!”
3. But David took an oath, saying, “Your father knows very well that you like me. He says to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know about it, or he will tell David.’ As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I am only a step away from death!”
4. Jonathan said to David, “I’ll do anything you want me to do.”
5. So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon festival. I am supposed to eat with the king, but let me hide in the field until the third evening.
6. If your father notices I am gone, tell him, ‘David begged me to let him go to his hometown of Bethlehem. Every year at this time his family group offers a sacrifice.’
7. If your father says, ‘Fine,’ I am safe. But if he becomes angry, you will know that he wants to hurt me.
8. Jonathan, be loyal to me, your servant. You have made an agreement with me before the Lord. If I am guilty, you may kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”
9. Jonathan answered, “No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you!”
10. David asked, “Who will let me know if your father answers you unkindly?”
11. Then Jonathan said, “Come, let’s go out into the field.” So the two of them went out into the field.
12. Jonathan said to David, “I promise this before the Lord, the God of Israel: At this same time the day after tomorrow, I will find out how my father feels. If he feels good toward you, I will send word to you and let you know.
13. But if my father plans to hurt you, I will let you know and send you away safely. May the Lord punish me terribly if I don’t do this. And may the Lord be with you as he has been with my father.
14. But show me the kindness of the Lord as long as I live so that I may not die.
15. You must never stop showing your kindness to my family, 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 hold David’s enemies responsible.”
17. And Jonathan asked David to repeat his promise of love for him, 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 miss you.