17. Jonathan once again swore to David in his love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.
18. Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; you’ll be missed because your seat will be empty.
19. The following day hurry down and go to the place where you hid on the day this incident began and stay beside the rock Ezel.
20. I will shoot three arrows beside it as if I’m aiming at a target.
21. Then I will send the young man and say, ‘Go and find the arrows! ’ Now, if I expressly say to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you — get them,’ then come, because as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no problem.
22. But if I say this to the youth: ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you! ’ then go, for the Lord is sending you away.
23. As for the matter you and I have spoken about, the Lord will be a witness between you and me forever.”
24. So David hid in the field.At the New Moon, the king sat down to eat the meal.
25. He sat at his usual place on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat facing him and Abner took his place beside Saul, but David’s place was empty.
26. Saul did not say anything that day because he thought, “Something unexpected has happened; he must be ceremonially unclean — yes, that’s it, he is unclean.”
27. However, the day after the New Moon, the second day, David’s place was still empty, and Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why didn’t Jesse’s son come to the meal either yesterday or today? ”
28. Jonathan answered, “David asked for my permission to go to Bethlehem.
29. He said, ‘Please let me go because our clan is holding a sacrifice in the town, and my brother has told me to be there. So now, if you are pleased with me, let me go so I can see my brothers.’ That’s why he didn’t come to the king’s table.”