11. Jonathan said to David, “Come! Let’s go out into the field.” They both went out into the field.
12. Jonathan said to David, “By the Lord, the God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good towards David, won’t I then send to you, and disclose it to you?
13. The Lord do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father.
14. You shall not only show me the loving kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I not die;
15. but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.”
16. So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “The Lord will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
17. Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18. Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
19. When you have stayed three days, go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and remain by the stone Ezel.
20. I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
21. Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come; for there is peace to you and no danger, as the Lord lives.
22. But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you;’ then go your way; for the Lord has sent you away.
23. Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever.”
24. So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.
25. The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.