18 Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon; you will be missed, because your place will be empty. 19On the day after tomorrow, you shall go a long way down; go to the place where you hid yourself earlier, and remain beside the stone there.20I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21Then I will send the boy, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I say to the boy, Look, the arrows are on this side of you, collect them, then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. 22But if I say to the young man, Look, the arrows are beyond you, then go; for the Lord has sent you away. 23As for the matter about which you and I have spoken, the Lord is witness between you and me for ever.
24 So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat at the feast to eat. 25The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood, while Abner sat by Sauls side; but Davids place was empty.
26 Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely he is not clean. 27But on the second day, the day after the new moon, Davids place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why has the son of Jesse not come to the feast, either yesterday or today? 28Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; 29he said, Let me go; for our family is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favour in your sight, let me get away, and see my brothers. For this reason he has not come to the kings table.
30 Then Sauls anger was kindled against Jonathan. He said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mothers nakedness? 31For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die. 32Then Jonathan answered his father Saul, Why should he be put to death? What has he done? 33But Saul threw his spear at him to strike him; so Jonathan knew that it was the decision of his father to put David to death. 34Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food on the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, and because his father had disgraced him.
35 In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him was a little boy. 36He said to the boy, Run and find the arrows that I shoot. As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37When the boy came to the place where Jonathans arrow had fallen, Jonathan called after the boy and said, Is the arrow not beyond you? 38Jonathan called after the boy, Hurry, be quick, do not linger. So Jonathans boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. 39But the boy knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement. 40Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said to him, Go and carry them to the city. 41As soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He bowed three times, and they kissed each other, and wept with each other; David wept the more.42Then Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, since both of us have sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, for ever. He got up and left; and Jonathan went into the city.