1Sa 20:8-17 | NASB1995 | STEP | “ Therefore deal kindly with your servant , for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself ; for why then should you bring me to your father ?”

1 Samuel 20:8-17

8 “Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for ^ayou have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But ^bif there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” 9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me ^{▼▼ Lit or what}if your father answers you harshly?” 11 Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and ^{▼▼ Lit uncover your ear}make it known to you? 13 “If it please my father to do you harm, ^emay the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not ^{▼▼ Lit uncover your ear}make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And ^gmay the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14 “If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die? 15 ^h“You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ⁱ“May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies.” 17 Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because ^jhe loved him as he loved his own life.