8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for (A)you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But (B)if 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 (a)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 (b)make it known to you? 13 If it please my father to do you harm, (C)may the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not (c)make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And (D)may 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 (E)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, “(F)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 (G)he loved him as he loved his own life.

Footnotes:

a. 1 Samuel 20:10: ['Lit ', or what]
b. 1 Samuel 20:12: ['Lit ', uncover your ear]
c. 1 Samuel 20:13: ['Lit ', uncover your ear]

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org