1Sa 20:9-23 | ESV | STEP | And Jonathan said , Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?

a[See ver. 7 above]

1 Samuel 20:9-23

9 And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that ^ait was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?” 11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.

12 And Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness! ^{▼▼Hebrew lacks be witness} When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? 13 But should it please my father to do you harm, ^cthe Lord do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. ^dMay the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. 14 If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die; 15 ^eand do not cut off ^{▼▼Or but if I die, do not cut off} your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ^g“May ^{▼▼Septuagint earth, 16let not the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David. And may} the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, ⁱfor he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 Then Jonathan said to him, ^j“Tomorrow is the new moon, and ^kyou will be missed, because ^lyour seat will be empty. 19 On the third day go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside the stone heap. ^{▼▼Septuagint; Hebrew the stone Ezel} 20 And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you are to come, for, ⁿas the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the youth, ^o‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the Lord has sent you away. 23 ^pAnd as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, ^qthe Lord is between you and me forever.”