16. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David.
17. And Jonathan swore unto David again because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18. Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new moon, and thou shalt be missed because thy seat will be empty.
19. And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the work and shalt remain by the stone Ezel;
20. and I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof as though I shot at a mark.
21. And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, then come thou, for there is peace unto thee and no hurt, as the Lord lives.
22. But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, then go away, for the Lord has sent thee away.
23. And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, let the Lord be between thee and me for ever.
24. So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon was come, the king sat down to eat bread.
25. And the king sat upon his seat as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.
26. Nevertheless, Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, Something has befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27. And it came to pass on the next day, which was the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty, and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Why did not the son of Jesse come to food, neither yesterday nor today?
28. And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.
29. And he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for those of our lineage have a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he has commanded me to be there, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he has not come unto the king’s table.