19
On 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.
20
I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.
21
Then 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.
22
But if I say to the young man, "Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then go; for the Lord has sent you away.
23
As for the matter about which you and I have spoken, the Lord is witness between you and me forever."
24
So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat at the feast to eat.
25
The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood, while Abner sat by Saul's side; but David's 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."
27
But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's 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?"
28
Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem;
29
he 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 favor in your sight, let me get away, and see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table."