1
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what [is] my iniquity? and what [is] my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
2
And he said to him, Far be it from thee; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing, either great or small, but that he will show it to me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it [is] not [so].
3
And David swore moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thy eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he should be grieved: But truly [as] the LORD liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, [there is] but a step between me and death.
4
Then said Jonathan to David, Whatever thy soul desireth, I will even do [it] for thee.
5
And David said to Jonathan, Behold, to morrow [is] the new-moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third [day] at evening.
6
If thy father shall at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked [leave] of me, that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for [there is] a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7
If he shall say thus, [It is] well; thy servant will have peace: but if he shall be very wroth, [then] be sure that evil is determined by him.
8
Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there is in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldst thou bring me to thy father?
9
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil is determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?