August 4, 2019

1 SAMUEL 20:1-21

20:1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said to Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, or what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?
20:2 And he said to him, Far from it! You shall not die. My father does nothing great or small that he does not disclose to me. So why should my father hide this matter from me? Such would not happen.
20:3 Then David swore again and said, Your father fully knows that I have found favor in your sight; so he says, Do not let Jonathan know about this; otherwise, he will be grieved. But truly as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
20:4 And Jonathan said to David, Whatever you say, I will do for you.
20:5 And David said to Jonathan, It is the new moon tomorrow, and I am to sit with the king at the meal. But let me go, and I will hide myself in the field until the following evening.
20:6 If your father misses me at all, you shall say, David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all his family.
20:7 If he says in this way, Fine; then your servant will have peace. But if he becomes angry at all, know that evil has been determined by him.
20:8 Deal kindly then with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Jehovah with you. But if there is any iniquity in me, you kill me. Why then should you bring me to your father?
20:9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from you! For if I knew at all that evil has been determined by my father to come upon you, would I not tell it to you?
20:10 Then David said to Jonathan, Who will tell me whether or not your father has responded to you harshly?
20:11 And Jonathan said to David, Come and let us go out into the field. And they both went out into the field.
20:12 And Jonathan said to David, By Jehovah, the God of Israel: When I search out my father about this time tomorrow, or on the following day, and if he is good toward David, I will surely send word to you and disclose it to you.
20:13 May Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and even more, if it pleases my father to do you evil, and I do not disclose it to you and send you away to go in peace. And may Jehovah be with you as He was with my father.
20:14 And while I am still alive, do show me the lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I may not die;
20:15 And never cut off your lovingkindness from my house, not even when Jehovah has cut off David’s enemies to the man from the face of the earth.
20:16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
20:17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
20:18 Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, for your seat will be empty.
20:19 And when you have waited three days, you shall go far down and come to the place where you hid yourself while all this was happening; and you shall remain at the stone Ezel.
20:20 And I will shoot three arrows to its side, as though I were shooting at a mark.
20:21 And just then I will send a boy, saying, Go; find the arrows. If I say to the boy, The arrows are there to this side of you; gather them; then come, for you have peace and there is no problem, as Jehovah lives.