1 Samuel 20

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Fleeing from the huts at Ramah, David went and confronted Jonathan, 'What have I done, what is myguilt, how have I wronged your father, for him to want to take my life?'	1 David fled from the sheds near Ramah, and went to Jonathan. "What have I done?" he asked him. "What crime or what offense does your father hold against me that he seeks my life?"
2 He replied, 'You must not think that! You are not going to die. My father, you see, does nothing,important or unimportant, without confiding in me, so why should my father hide this from me? It is not true.'	2 Jonathan answered him: "Heaven forbid that you should die! My father does nothing, great or small, without disclosing it to me. Why, then, should my father conceal this from me? This cannot be so!"
3 In reply, David swore, 'Your father knows very wel that I enjoy your favour, and thinks, "Jonathanmust not know about this or he wil be upset." But, as Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, there is only a stepbetween me and death.'	3 But David replied: "Your father is well aware that I am favored with your friendship, so he has decided, 'Jonathan must not know of this lest he be grieved.' Nevertheless, as the LORD lives and as you live, there is but a step between me and death."
4 At which, Jonathan said to David, 'Whatever you think best, I wil certainly do for you.'	4 Jonathan then said to David, "I will do whatever you wish."
5 David replied, 'Look, tomorrow is New Moon and I ought to sit at table with the king, but you must letme go and hide in the countryside until the evening.	5 David answered: "Tomorrow is the new moon, when I should in fact dine with the king. Let me go and hide in the open country until evening.
6 If your father notices my absence, you must say, "David insistently asked me for permission to hurryover to Bethlehem, his home town, because they are holding the annual sacrifice there for the whole clan."	6 If it turns out that your father misses me, say, 'David urged me to let him go on short notice to his city Bethlehem, because his whole clan is holding its seasonal sacrifice there.'
7 If he says, "Very wel ," your servant is safe, but if he flies into a rage, you may be sure that he hassome evil plan.	7 If he says, 'Very well,' your servant is safe. But if he becomes quite angry, you can be sure he has planned some harm.
8 Show your servant faithful love, since you have bound your servant to you by a pact in Yahweh'sname. But if I am guilty, then kil me yourself -- why take me to your father?'	8 Do this kindness for your servant because of the LORD'S bond between us, into which you brought me: if I am guilty, kill me yourself! Why should you give me up to your father?"
9 Jonathan replied, 'Perish the thought! If I knew for sure that my father was determined to do you amischief, would I not have told you?'	9 But Jonathan answered: "Not I! If ever I find out that my father is determined to inflict injury upon you, I will certainly let you know."
10 David then said to Jonathan, 'Who wil let me know if your father gives you a harsh answer?'	10 David then asked Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father gives you a harsh answer?"
11 Jonathan then said to David, 'Come on, let us go out into the country,' and the pair of them went outinto the country.	11 (Jonathan replied to David, "Come, let us go out into the field." When they were out in the open country together,
12 Jonathan then said to David, 'By Yahweh, God of Israel! I shal sound my father this time tomorrow; ifal is wel for David and I do not then send and inform you,	12 Jonathan said to David: "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, I will sound out my father about this time tomorrow. Whether he is well disposed toward David or not, I will send you the information.
13 may Yahweh bring unnameable ills to Jonathan and worse ones too! If my father intends to do you amischief, I shal tel you so and let you get away, so that you can be safe. And may Yahweh be with you as heused to be with my father!	13 Should it please my father to bring any injury upon you, may the LORD do thus and so to Jonathan if I do not apprise you of it and send you on your way in peace. May the LORD be with you even as he was with my father.
14 If I am stil alive, show your servant faithful love; if I die,	14 Only this: if I am still alive, may you show me the kindness of the LORD. But if I die,
15 never withdraw your faithful love from my family. When Yahweh has exterminated every enemy ofDavid's from the face of the earth,	15 never withdraw your kindness from my house. And when the LORD exterminates all the enemies of David from the surface of the earth,
16 do not let Jonathan's name be exterminated with Saul's family, or may Yahweh cal David toaccount!'	16 the name of Jonathan must never be allowed by the family of David to die out from among you, or the LORD will make you answer for it."
17 Jonathan then renewed his oath to David, since he loved him like his very soul.	17 And in his love for David, Jonathan renewed his oath to him, because he loved him as his very self.)
18 Jonathan then said to David, 'Tomorrow is New Moon; your absence wil be noticed, since your placewil be empty.	18 Jonathan then said to him: "Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, since your place will be vacant.
19 The day after tomorrow your absence wil be very marked, and you must go to the place where youhid on the day of the deed, and stay beside that mound.	19 On the following day you will be missed all the more. Go to the spot where you hid on the other occasion and wait near the mound there.
20 For my part, the day after tomorrow I shal shoot three arrows in that direction, as though at a target.	20 On the third day of the month I will shoot arrows, as though aiming at a target.
21 I shal then send a servant to go and find the arrows. If I say to him, "The arrows are this side of you,get them," come out, since al will be well for you and nothing the matter, as sure as Yahweh lives.	21 I will then send my attendant to go and recover the arrows. If in fact I say to him, 'Look, the arrow is this side of you; pick it up,' come, for you are safe. As the LORD lives, there will be nothing to fear.
22 But if I say to him, "The arrows are ahead of you," then be off, for Yahweh himself wil be sendingyou away.	22 But if I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrow is beyond you,' go, for the LORD sends you away.
23 And as regards the agreement we made, you and I, why, Yahweh is witness between us for ever.'	23 However, in the matter which you and I have discussed, the LORD shall be between you and me forever."
24 So David hid in the country; New Moon came and the king sat down to his meal.	24 So David hid in the open country. On the day of the new moon, when the king sat at table to dine,
25 He sat in his usual place with his back to the wall, Jonathan sat facing him and Abner sat next toSaul; but David's place was empty.	25 taking his usual place against the wall, Jonathan sat facing him, while Abner sat at the king's side, and David's place was vacant.
26 Saul said nothing that day, thinking, 'It is sheer chance; he is unclean.'	26 Saul, however, said nothing that day, for he thought, "He must have become unclean by accident, and not yet have been cleansed."
27 On the day after New Moon, the second day, David's place was stil empty.	27 On the next day, the second day of the month, David's place was vacant. Saul inquired of his son Jonathan, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to table yesterday or today?"
28 Saul said to his son Jonathan, 'Why did not the son of Jesse come to the meal either yesterday ortoday?'	28 Jonathan answered Saul: "David urgently asked me to let him go to his city, Bethlehem.
29 Jonathan answered Saul, 'David insistently asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem. "Please letme go," he said, "for we are holding the clan sacrifice in the town and my brothers have ordered me to attend.So now, if I enjoy your favour, let me get away and see my brothers." That is why he has not come to the king'stable.'	29 'Please let me go,' he begged, 'for we are to have a clan sacrifice in our city, and my brothers insist on my presence. Now, therefore, if you think well of me, give me leave to visit my brothers.' That is why he has not come to the king's table."
30 Saul flew into a rage with Jonathan and said, 'Son of a rebel ious slut! Don't I know that you side withthe son of Jesse to your own shame and your mother's dishonour?	30 But Saul was extremely angry with Jonathan and said to him: "Son of a rebellious woman, do I not know that, to your own shame and to the disclosure of your mother's shame, you are the companion of Jesse's son?
31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on earth, neither you nor your royal rights are secure. Now havehim fetched and brought to me; he deserves to die.'	31 Why, as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, you cannot make good your claim to the kingship! So send for him, and bring him to me, for he is doomed."
32 Jonathan retorted to his father Saul, 'Why should he die? What has he done?'	32 But Jonathan asked his father Saul: "Why should he die? What has he done?"
33 But Saul brandished his spear at him to strike him, and Jonathan realised that his father wasdetermined that David should die.	33 At this Saul brandished his spear to strike him, and thus Jonathan learned that his father was resolved to kill David.
34 Hot with anger, Jonathan got up from the table and ate nothing on the second day of the month,being upset about David -- and because his father had insulted him.	34 Jonathan sprang up from the table in great anger and took no food that second day of the month, for he was grieved on David's account, since his father had railed against him.
35 Next morning, Jonathan went out into the country at the time agreed with David, taking a youngservant with him.	35 The next morning Jonathan went out into the field with a little boy for his appointment with David.
36 He said to his servant, 'Run and find the arrows which I am going to shoot,' and the servant ran whileJonathan shot an arrow ahead of him.	36 There he said to the boy, "Run and fetch the arrow." And as the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him in the direction of the city.
37 When the servant reached the spot to which Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan shouted afterhim, 'Is not the arrow ahead of you?'	37 When the boy made for the spot where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called after him, "The arrow is farther on!"
38 Again Jonathan shouted after the servant, 'Quick! Hurry, do not stand around.' Jonathan's servantpicked up the arrow and brought it back to his master.	38 Again he called to his lad, "Hurry, be quick, don't delay!" Jonathan's boy picked up the arrow and brought it to his master.
39 The servant suspected nothing; only Jonathan and David knew what was meant.	39 The boy knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew what was meant.
40 Jonathan then gave his weapons to his servant and said, 'Go and carry them to the town.'	40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to this boy of his and said to him, "Go, take them to the city."
41 As soon as the servant had gone, David stood up beside the mound, threw himself to the ground,prostrating himself three times. They then embraced each other, both weeping copiously.	41 When the boy had left, David rose from beside the mound and prostrated himself on the ground three times before Jonathan in homage. They kissed each other and wept aloud together.
42 Jonathan then said to David, 'Go in peace. And as regards the oath that both of us have sworn bythe name of Yahweh, may Yahweh be witness between you and me, between your descendants and mine forever.'	42 At length Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, in keeping with what we two have sworn by the name of the LORD: 'The LORD shall be between you and me, and between your posterity and mine forever.'"