1 Então, fugiu Davi da casa dos profetas, em Ramá, e veio, e disse a Jônatas: Que fiz eu? Qual é a minha culpa? E qual é o meu pecado diante de teu pai, que procura tirar-me a vida? 2 Ele lhe respondeu: Tal não suceda; não serás morto. Meu pai não faz coisa nenhuma, nem grande nem pequena, sem primeiro me dizer; por que, pois, meu pai me ocultaria isso? Não há nada disso. 3 Então, Davi respondeu enfaticamente: Mui bem sabe teu pai que da tua parte achei mercê; pelo que disse consigo: Não saiba isto Jônatas, para que não se entristeça. Tão certo como vive o Senhor, e tu vives, Jônatas, apenas há um passo entre mim e a morte. 4 Disse Jônatas a Davi: O que tu desejares eu te farei. 5 Disse Davi a Jônatas: Amanhã é a Festa da Lua Nova, em que sem falta deveria assentar-me com o rei para comer; mas deixa-me ir, e esconder-me-ei no campo, até à terceira tarde. 6 Se teu pai notar a minha ausência, dirás: Davi me pediu muito que o deixasse ir a toda pressa a Belém, sua cidade; porquanto se faz lá o sacrifício anual para toda a família. 7 Se disser assim: Está bem! Então, teu servo terá paz. Porém, se muito se indignar, sabe que já o mal está, de fato, determinado por ele. 8 Usa, pois, de misericórdia para com o teu servo, porque lhe fizeste entrar contigo em aliança no Senhor; se, porém, há em mim culpa, mata-me tu mesmo; por que me levarias a teu pai? 9 Então, disse Jônatas: Longe de ti tal coisa; porém, se dalguma sorte soubesse que já este mal estava, de fato, determinado por meu pai, para que viesse sobre ti, não to declararia eu? 10 Perguntou Davi a Jônatas: Quem tal me fará saber, se, por acaso, teu pai te responder asperamente? 11 Então, disse Jônatas a Davi: Vem, e saiamos ao campo. E saíram.

12 E disse Jônatas a Davi: O Senhor, Deus de Israel, seja testemunha. Amanhã ou depois de amanhã, a estas horas sondarei meu pai; se algo houver favorável a Davi, eu to mandarei dizer. 13 Mas, se meu pai quiser fazer-te mal, faça com Jônatas o Senhor o que a este aprouver, se não to fizer saber eu e não te deixar ir embora, para que sigas em paz. E seja o Senhor contigo, como tem sido com meu pai. 14 Se eu, então, ainda viver, porventura, não usarás para comigo da bondade do Senhor, para que não morra? 15 Nem tampouco cortarás jamais da minha casa a tua bondade; nem ainda quando o Senhor desarraigar da terra todos os inimigos de Davi. 16 Assim, fez Jônatas aliança com a casa de Davi, dizendo: Vingue o Senhor os inimigos de Davi. 17 Jônatas fez jurar a Davi de novo, pelo amor que este lhe tinha, porque Jônatas o amava com todo o amor da sua alma. 18 Disse-lhe Jônatas: Amanhã é a Festa da Lua Nova; perguntar-se-á por ti, porque o teu lugar estará vazio. 19 Ao terceiro dia, descerás apressadamente e irás para o lugar em que te escondeste no dia do ajuste; e fica junto à pedra de Ezel. 20 Atirarei três flechas para aquele lado, como quem atira ao alvo. 21 Eis que mandarei o moço e lhe direi: Vai, procura as flechas; se eu disser ao moço: Olha que as flechas estão para cá de ti, traze-as; então, vem, Davi, porque, tão certo como vive o Senhor, terás paz, e nada há que temer. 22 Porém, se disser ao moço: Olha que as flechas estão para lá de ti. Vai-te embora, porque o Senhor te manda ir. 23 Quanto àquilo de que eu e tu falamos, eis que o Senhor está entre mim e ti, para sempre.

24 Escondeu-se, pois, Davi no campo; e, sendo a Festa da Lua Nova, pôs-se o rei à mesa para comer. 25 Assentou-se o rei na sua cadeira, segundo o costume, no lugar junto à parede; Jônatas, defronte dele, e Abner, ao lado de Saul; mas o lugar de Davi estava desocupado. 26 Porém, naquele dia, não disse Saul nada, pois pensava: Aconteceu-lhe alguma coisa, pela qual não está limpo; talvez esteja contaminado. 27 Sucedeu também ao outro dia, o segundo da Festa da Lua Nova, que o lugar de Davi continuava desocupado; disse, pois, Saul a Jônatas, seu filho: Por que não veio a comer o filho de Jessé, nem ontem nem hoje? 28 Respondeu Jônatas a Saul: Davi me pediu, encarecidamente, que o deixasse ir a Belém. 29 Ele me disse: Peço-te que me deixes ir, porque a nossa família tem um sacrifício na cidade, e um de meus irmãos insiste comigo para que eu vá. Se, pois, agora, achei mercê aos teus olhos, peço-te que me deixes partir, para que veja meus irmãos. Por isso, não veio à mesa do rei.

30 Então, se acendeu a ira de Saul contra Jônatas, e disse-lhe: Filho de mulher perversa e rebelde; não sei eu que elegeste o filho de Jessé, para vergonha tua e para vergonha do recato de tua mãe? 31 Pois, enquanto o filho de Jessé viver sobre a terra, nem tu estarás seguro, nem seguro o teu reino; pelo que manda buscá-lo, agora, porque deve morrer. 32 Então, respondeu Jônatas a Saul, seu pai, e lhe disse: Por que há de ele morrer? Que fez ele? 33 Então, Saul atirou-lhe com a lança para o ferir; com isso entendeu Jônatas que, de fato, seu pai já determinara matar a Davi. 34 Pelo que Jônatas, todo encolerizado, se levantou da mesa e, neste segundo dia da Festa da Lua Nova, não comeu pão, pois ficara muito sentido por causa de Davi, a quem seu pai havia ultrajado.

35 Na manhã seguinte, saiu Jônatas ao campo, no tempo ajustado com Davi, e levou consigo um rapaz. 36 Então, disse ao seu rapaz: Corre a buscar as flechas que eu atirar. Este correu, e ele atirou uma flecha, que fez passar além do rapaz. 37 Chegando o rapaz ao lugar da flecha que Jônatas havia atirado, gritou Jônatas atrás dele e disse: Não está a flecha mais para lá de ti? 38 Tornou Jônatas a gritar: Apressa-te, não te demores. O rapaz de Jônatas apanhou as flechas e voltou ao seu senhor. 39 O rapaz não entendeu coisa alguma; só Jônatas e Davi sabiam deste ajuste. 40 Então, Jônatas deu as suas armas ao rapaz que o acompanhava e disse-lhe: Anda, leva-as à cidade. 41 Indo-se o rapaz, levantou-se Davi do lado do sul e prostrou-se rosto em terra três vezes; e beijaram-se um ao outro e choraram juntos; Davi, porém, muito mais. 42 Disse Jônatas a Davi: Vai-te em paz, porquanto juramos ambos em nome do Senhor, dizendo: O Senhor seja para sempre entre mim e ti e entre a minha descendência e a tua. 43 Então, se levantou Davi e se foi; e Jônatas entrou na cidade.

1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? 2 And he said unto him, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth well that I have found favor in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death. 4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. 5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6 If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? 9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? 10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly? 11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

12 And Jonathan said unto David, Jehovah, the God of Israel, be witness: when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee? 13 Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my father. 14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not; 15 but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth. 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

17 And 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 unto him, To-morrow is the new moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. 19 And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth. 22 But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way; for Jehovah hath sent thee away. 23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me for ever.

24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food. 25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean. 27 And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to-day? 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem: 29 and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king’s table.

30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother’s nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to put David to death. 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? 38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39 But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. 41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

1 Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?"

2 "Never!" Jonathan replied. "You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn't do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn't so!"

3 But David took an oath and said, "Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, 'Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.' Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death."

4 Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do for you."

5 So David said, "Look, tomorrow is the New Moon feast, and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow.

6 If your father misses me at all, tell him, 'David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.'

7 If he says, 'Very well,' then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me.

8 As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the LORD. If I am guilty, then kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?"

9 "Never!" Jonathan said. "If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn't I tell you?"

10 David asked, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"

11 "Come," Jonathan said, "let's go out into the field." So they went there together.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, "I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, that I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know?

13 But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.

14 But show me unfailing kindness like the LORD's kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed,

15 and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family —not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth."

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the LORD call David's enemies to account."

17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

18 Then Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the New Moon feast. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel.

20 I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.

21 Then I will send a boy and say, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I say to him, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,' then come, because, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe; there is no danger.

22 But if I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then you must go, because the LORD has sent you away.

23 And about the matter you and I discussed —remember, the LORD is witness between you and me forever."

24 So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast came, the king sat down to eat.

25 He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, "and Abner sat next to Saul, but David's place was empty.

26 Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, "Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean —surely he is unclean."

27 But the next day, the second day of the month, David's place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, "Why hasn't the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?"

28 Jonathan answered, "David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem.

29 He said, 'Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.' That is why he has not come to the king's table."

30 Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, "You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you?

31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!"

32 "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" Jonathan asked his father.

33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.

34 Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father's shameful treatment of David.

35 In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him,

36 and he said to the boy, "Run and find the arrows I shoot." As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 When the boy came to the place where Jonathan's arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, "Isn't the arrow beyond you?"

38 Then he shouted, "Hurry! Go quickly! Don't stop!" The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.

39 (The boy knew nothing about all this; only Jonathan and David knew.)

40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, "Go, carry them back to town."

41 After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together —but David wept the most.

42 Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, 'The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.'" Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. [^2]