וַיִּבְרַח דָּוִד מִנָּיוֹת בָּרָמָה וַיָּבֹא וַיֹּאמֶר לִפְנֵי יְהוֹנָתָן מֶה עָשִׂיתִי מֶה עֲוֹנִי וּמֶה חַטָּאתִי לִפְנֵי אָבִיךָ כִּי מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת נַפְשִׁי

When David realized that he was not safe in Nayot and that Saul would not hesitate to seek him there despite Samuel’s presence, David fled from Nayot in Rama, and he came and said before Yehonatan: What did I do? What is my iniquity and what is my sin before your father that he seeks my life?

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ חָלִילָה לֹא תָמוּת הִנֵּה לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה אָבִי דָּבָר גָּדוֹל אוֹ דָּבָר קָטֹן וְלֹא יִגְלֶה אֶת אָזְנִי וּמַדּוּעַ יַסְתִּיר אָבִי מִמֶּנִּי אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵין זֹאת

He said to him: Far be it; you will not die. Behold, my father would not do something great or something small without disclosing it to my ear, as I am the crown prince, and his beloved and most honored son; why would my father conceal this matter from me? This is not so. He is not trying to kill you.

וַיִּשָּׁבַע עוֹד דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר יָדֹעַ יָדַע אָבִיךָ כִּי מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר אַל יֵדַע זֹאת יְהוֹנָתָן פֶּן יֵעָצֵב וְאוּלָם חַי ה' וְחֵי נַפְשֶׁךָ כִּי כְפֶשַׂע בֵּינִי וּבֵין הַמָּוֶת

Moreover, David took an oath, and he said: Even if the king trusts you in all matters, in this case your father knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he, no doubt, said: Let Yehonatan not know this, lest he be saddened. However, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, for there is but a stride between me and death. Again and again I find myself at the verge of death.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶל דָּוִד מַה תֹּאמַר נַפְשְׁךָ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה לָּךְ

Yehonatan said to David: Whatever you desire I will do for you.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל יְהוֹנָתָן הִנֵּה חֹדֶשׁ מָחָר וְאָנֹכִי יָשֹׁב אֵשֵׁב עִם הַמֶּלֶךְ לֶאֱכוֹל וְשִׁלַּחְתַּנִי וְנִסְתַּרְתִּי בַשָּׂדֶה עַד הָעֶרֶב הַשְּׁלִשִׁית

David said to Yehonatan: Behold, the New Moon is tomorrow, and I typically would be sitting with the king to eat. But this time send me away, and I will hide in the field until the third evening.

אִם פָּקֹד יִפְקְדֵנִי אָבִיךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ נִשְׁאֹל נִשְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי דָוִד לָרוּץ בֵּית לֶחֶם עִירוֹ כִּי זֶבַח הַיָּמִים שָׁם לְכָל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה

Your father might not say anything, but if your father mentions me and inquires about my whereabouts, then say: David requested of me to run to Bethlehem his city, as there is an annual or seasonal feast offering there for the entire family.

אִם כֹּה יֹאמַר טוֹב שָׁלוֹם לְעַבְדֶּךָ וְאִם חָרֹה יֶחֱרֶה לוֹ דַּע כִּי כָלְתָה הָרָעָה מֵעִמּוֹ

If so he, Saul, says: Good, indicating that he accepts this, that means that there is peace for me, your servant. That is the reasonable reaction, for even if I did not turn to him directly, that is because of my friendship with you and my assumption that you would immediately pass on this information to the king. But if he will be incensed, know that harm has been resolved with him. If mention of my name causes an outpouring of negative emotion even during an enjoyable, festive meal, that means that Saul is irreversibly antagonistic toward me and I will find no peace as long as he lives.

וְעָשִׂיתָ חֶסֶד עַל עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי בִּבְרִית ה' הֵבֵאתָ אֶת עַבְדְּךָ עִמָּךְ וְאִם יֶשׁ בִּי עָוֹן הֲמִיתֵנִי אַתָּה וְעַד אָבִיךָ לָמָּה זֶּה תְבִיאֵנִי

Act with kindness for me, your servant, as you have brought your servant into the covenant of the Lord, a covenant of everlasting love and support, with you. If there is iniquity in me and you think that I am worthy of death, put me to death yourself; for why should you bring me to your father so that he should kill me?

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן חָלִילָה לָּךְ כִּי אִם יָדֹעַ אֵדַע כִּי כָלְתָה הָרָעָה מֵעִם אָבִי לָבוֹא עָלֶיךָ וְלֹא אֹתָהּ אַגִּיד לָךְ

Yehonatan said: Far be it from you; do not suspect me of wanting you to be killed, or that I would know that harm has been resolved with my father to come upon you, and I would not tell you of it. I would certainly inform you.

וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל יְהוֹנָתָן מִי יַגִּיד לִי אוֹ מַה יַּעַנְךָ אָבִיךָ קָשָׁה

David said to Yehonatan: Who will tell me if that which your father answers you is harsh? We must have a method of communication.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶל דָּוִד לְכָה וְנֵצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה וַיֵּצְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם הַשָּׂדֶה

Yehonatan said to David: Come, let us go out to the field so that we can speak freely without concern that someone will see us or hear us. The two of them went out to the field.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶל דָּוִד ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אֶחְקֹר אֶת אָבִי כָּעֵת מָחָר הַשְּׁלִשִׁית וְהִנֵּה טוֹב אֶל דָּוִד וְלֹא אָז אֶשְׁלַח אֵלֶיךָ וְגָלִיתִי אֶת אָזְנֶךָ

Yehonatan said to David: I swear by the Lord, God of Israel, for I will investigate my father at this time tomorrow, or by the third day, and behold, if it is good for David, will I not immediately send for you then and disclose it to your ear? I certainly shall.

כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה ה' לִיהוֹנָתָן וְכֹה יֹסִיף כִּי יֵיטִב אֶל אָבִי אֶת הָרָעָה עָלֶיךָ וְגָלִיתִי אֶת אָזְנֶךָ וְשִׁלַּחְתִּיךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ לְשָׁלוֹם וִיהִי ה' עִמָּךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה עִם אָבִי

Yehonatan continued his oath: So may the Lord do to Yehonatan, and so may He continue, for if it pleases my father to bring harm upon you, I will disclose it to your ear, and I will send you away, and you will go in peace, and may the Lord be with you, as He was with my father.

וְלֹא אִם עוֹדֶנִּי חָי וְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד ה' וְלֹא אָמוּת

I will not need to enter into a covenant with you. If you become king when I am still alive, won’t you act with the kindness of the Lord with me, and I will not die? I am confident that you will do so.

וְלֹא תַכְרִית אֶת חַסְדְּךָ מֵעִם בֵּיתִי עַד עוֹלָם וְלֹא בְּהַכְרִת ה' אֶת אֹיְבֵי דָוִד אִישׁ מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה

But I request that may you not cut off your kindness from my house, my family, forever; not even when the Lord eventually cuts off the enemies of David, each from upon the face of the earth.

וַיִּכְרֹת יְהוֹנָתָן עִם בֵּית דָּוִד וּבִקֵּשׁ ה' מִיַּד אֹיְבֵי דָוִד

Yehonatan established a covenant with the house of David: May the Lord seek from the hand of the enemies of David. The Lord should punish them as they deserve. Some explain this latter phrase as a parenthetical remark by the author stating that, contrary to Yehonatan’s belief, God sought to punish the house of Saul.

וַיּוֹסֶף יְהוֹנָתָן לְהַשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת דָּוִד בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ אֹתוֹ כִּי אַהֲבַת נַפְשׁוֹ אֲהֵבוֹ

Yehonatan continued to administer an oath to David, in his love for him, as he loved him as he loved himself. Yehonatan administered another oath to David due to his love for him. Alternatively, this may mean that he swore upon the truth of his love, as though he were swearing upon his life.

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יְהוֹנָתָן מָחָר חֹדֶשׁ וְנִפְקַדְתָּ כִּי יִפָּקֵד מוֹשָׁבֶךָ

Yehonatan formulated a plan: Yehonatan said to him: Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be remembered, because your seat will be vacant.

וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ תֵּרֵד מְאֹד וּבָאתָ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר נִסְתַּרְתָּ שָּׁם בְּיּוֹם הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וְיָשַׁבְתָּ אֵצֶל הָאֶבֶן הָאָזֶל

Wait three days, lie very low, and come to the place where you hid previously, on the day of the incident, and remain near the Ezel stone. The day of the incident may refer to the day of the military victory over the Philistines (see 18:30–19:2). Alternatively, it may refer to a regular weekday as opposed to during the New Moon, when they would abstain from labor; or to the day when they would carry out their plans.

וַאֲנִי שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַחִצִּים צִדָּה אוֹרֶה לְשַׁלַּח לִי לְמַטָּרָה

And I will go out into the field and shoot the three arrows to the side of the stone,as though sending them for me to a target. I will make it seem as though I am practicing archery.

וְהִנֵּה אֶשְׁלַח אֶת הַנַּעַר לֵךְ מְצָא אֶת הַחִצִּים אִם אָמֹר אֹמַר לַנַּעַר הִנֵּה הַחִצִּים מִמְּךָ וָהֵנָּה קָחֶנּוּ וָבֹאָה כִּי שָׁלוֹם לְךָ וְאֵין דָּבָר חַי ה'

Behold, I will send the lad that I will take with me, and tell him: Go, find the arrows. If I say to the lad: Here are the arrows, they are on this side of you; they are close by and you do not need to go far; you, David, may emerge from your hiding place and take it, the arrow, and come and bring it to me yourself, then peace is with you and there is no concern, as the Lord lives.

וְאִם כֹּה אֹמַר לָעֶלֶם הִנֵּה הַחִצִּים מִמְּךָ וָהָלְאָה לֵךְ כִּי שִׁלַּחֲךָ ה'

But if I say to the youth so: Behold, the arrows are beyond you, then you, David, should go, for the Lord has sent you away. This will be your sign that you should remain in hiding.

וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֲנִי וָאָתָּה הִנֵּה ה' בֵּינִי וּבֵינְךָ עַד עוֹלָם

Since it was possible that they would not see each other again, Yehonatan added: And as for the matter of which we spoke, me and you, behold, the Lord is witness to the covenant between me and you forever.

וַיִּסָּתֵר דָּוִד בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיְהִי הַחֹדֶשׁ וַיֵּשֶׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל הַלֶּחֶם לֶאֱכוֹל

David concealed himself in the field. It was the New Moon, and the king sat to the grand meal to eat.

וַיֵּשֶׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ עַל מוֹשָׁבוֹ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם אֶל מוֹשַׁב הַקִּיר וַיָּקָם יְהוֹנָתָן וַיֵּשֶׁב אַבְנֵר מִצַּד שָׁאוּל וַיִּפָּקֵד מְקוֹם דָּוִד

The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat whose rear was by the wall, either for comfort or due to security considerations; Yehonatan rose from his seat next to Saul, and Avner, Saul’s general, sat at Saul’s side, but David’s place was vacant.

וְלֹא דִבֶּר שָׁאוּל מְאוּמָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי אָמַר מִקְרֶה הוּא בִּלְתִּי טָהוֹר הוּא כִּי לֹא טָהוֹר

Saul did not say anything about David’s absence that day, as he said to himself: It is incidental; he is impure due to a nocturnal emission or some other reason; surely he did not come to eat from the sacred offering as he is not purified, he has not yet ritually purified himself. This common form of impurity, which could occur unintentionally or during sexual intercourse, would be the most obvious explanation for an unexpected absence. Saul assumed that David would come the next day, after immersing in a ritual bath, thereby purifying himself. This was in accordance with the verse in Deuteronomy (23:11–12): “If there is a man among you who will not be pure due to a nocturnal incident, he shall go outside the camp…he shall bathe in water, and with the setting of the sun, he shall come into the camp.”

וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרַת הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי וַיִּפָּקֵד מְקוֹם דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל יְהוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ מַדּוּעַ לֹא בָא בֶן יִשַׁי גַּם תְּמוֹל גַּם הַיּוֹם אֶל הַלָּחֶם

It was on the next day, the second day of the month, and David’s place was empty; and Saul said to Yehonatan his son, David’s friend: Why did the son of Yishai not come to the meal, both yesterday and today?

וַיַּעַן יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת שָׁאוּל נִשְׁאֹל נִשְׁאַל דָּוִד מֵעִמָּדִי עַד בֵּית לָחֶם

Yehonatan answered Saul: David requested permission of me to go to Bethlehem.

וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי נָא כִּי זֶבַח מִשְׁפָּחָה לָנוּ בָּעִיר וְהוּא צִוָּה לִי אָחִי וְעַתָּה אִם מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אִמָּלְטָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת אֶחָי עַל כֵּן לֹא בָא אֶל שֻׁלְחַן הַמֶּלֶךְ

He said: Please let me go, as there is a family feast offering for us in the city, and my older brother, he commanded me; now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and I will run to see my brothers. Therefore, he did not come to the king’s table. His absence is not a slight to your honor, as he asked my permission.

וַיִּחַר אַף שָׁאוּל בִּיהוֹנָתָן וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בֶּן נַעֲוַת הַמַּרְדּוּת הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי בֹחֵר אַתָּה לְבֶן יִשַׁי לְבָשְׁתְּךָ וּלְבֹשֶׁת עֶרְוַת אִמֶּךָ

Saul’s wrath was enflamed against Yehonatan, and he said to him: Son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Saul cursed and shamed Yehonatan’s mother. He further sharpened his outburst, employing coarse, disrespectful language: Don’t I know that you choose the son of Yishai, you prefer that David shall become king, to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?

כִּי כָל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר בֶּן יִשַׁי חַי עַל הָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִכּוֹן אַתָּה וּמַלְכוּתֶךָ וְעַתָּה שְׁלַח וְקַח אֹתוֹ אֵלַי כִּי בֶן מָוֶת הוּא

For all the days that the son of Yishai lives upon the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now send men and take him to me, as he is deserving of death.

וַיַּעַן יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת שָׁאוּל אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו לָמָּה יוּמַת מֶה עָשָׂה

Yehonatan answered Saul his father and said to him: Why should he be put to death? What did he do?

וַיָּטֶל שָׁאוּל אֶת הַחֲנִית עָלָיו לְהַכֹּתוֹ וַיֵּדַע יְהוֹנָתָן כִּי כָלָה הִיא מֵעִם אָבִיו לְהָמִית אֶת דָּוִד

Saul cast his spear at him to smite him, as an expression of his anger, although he did not intend to kill Yehonatan; and then Yehonatan knew that it was settled with his father to put David to death. Saul did not hide his intentions; he publicly and repeatedly revealed his desire to kill David, as Saul’s officers and associates were certainly present at this festive meal. Furthermore, for the first time, Saul also insulted Yehonatan and attempted to strike him. Yehonatan had no further doubts about Saul’s intentions.

וַיָּקָם יְהוֹנָתָן מֵעִם הַשֻּׁלְחָן בָּחֳרִי אָף וְלֹא אָכַל בְּיוֹם הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי לֶחֶם כִּי נֶעְצַב אֶל דָּוִד כִי הִכְלִמוֹ אָבִיו

Yehonatan arose from the table in enflamed wrath, and he did not eat food on the second day of the month, as he was saddened over David, and because his father had humiliated him. Yehonatan felt rage, sadness, and shame all at once.

וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר וַיֵּצֵא יְהוֹנָתָן הַשָּׂדֶה לְמוֹעֵד דָּוִד וְנַעַר קָטֹן עִמּוֹ

It was in the morning; Yehonatan emerged to the field at the time appointed with David, and a small lad, who would not understand or suspect anything, was with him.

וַיֹּאמֶר לְנַעֲרוֹ רֻץ מְצָא נָא אֶת הַחִצִּים אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מוֹרֶה הַנַּעַר רָץ וְהוּא יָרָה הַחֵצִי לְהַעֲבִרוֹ

He said to his lad: Run, now find the arrows that I am shooting. The lad ran, and he shot the arrow to go beyond him.

וַיָּבֹא הַנַּעַר עַד מְקוֹם הַחֵצִי אֲשֶׁר יָרָה יְהוֹנָתָן וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹנָתָן אַחֲרֵי הַנַּעַר וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלוֹא הַחֵצִי מִמְּךָ וָהָלְאָה

The lad came to the place of the arrow that Yehonatan had shot, the arrow was still beyond him, and Yehonatan called after the lad, and said: Is the arrow not beyond you?

וַיִּקְרָא יְהוֹנָתָן אַחֲרֵי הַנַּעַר מְהֵרָה חוּשָׁה אַל תַּעֲמֹד וַיְלַקֵּט נַעַר יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת הַחִצִּים וַיָּבֹא אֶל אֲדֹנָיו

Yehonatan called after the lad: Quickly, hurry, do not stand. Yehonatan’s lad gathered the arrows and came to his master, so that Yehonatan could place them back in his quiver.

וְהַנַּעַר לֹא יָדַע מְאוּמָה אַךְ יְהוֹנָתָן וְדָוִד יָדְעוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר

The lad did not know anything; only Yehonatan and David knew the matter.

וַיִּתֵּן יְהוֹנָתָן אֶת כֵּלָיו אֶל הַנַּעַר אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֵךְ הָבֵיא הָעִיר

Yehonatan gave his weapons, his bow and arrows, to his lad, and he said to him: Go, bring them to the city.

הַנַּעַר בָּא וְדָוִד קָם מֵאֵצֶל הַנֶּגֶב וַיִּפֹּל לְאַפָּיו אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים וַיִּשְּׁקוּ אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ עַד דָּוִד הִגְדִּיל

The lad went, and when there was no one else in the field, David rose from the south side of the field, or the stone called Ezel, and he fell on his face to the ground before Yehonatan, and prostrated himself three times as a sign of gratitude. They each kissed the other, and each wept with the other, as they knew they would probably not meet again, but David more so; he outdid Yehonatan’s crying with his own crying. Yehonatan loved David no less than David loved Yehonatan; but David knew that from then on he was doomed to a life of hardship, persecution, and suffering.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָתָן לְדָוִד לֵךְ לְשָׁלוֹם אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְנוּ שְׁנֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ בְּשֵׁם ה' לֵאמֹר ה' יִהְיֶה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּבֵין זַרְעִי וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ עַד עוֹלָם

Yehonatan said to David: Go in peace; and he reminded David: For we have taken an oath, both of us, in the name of the Lord, saying: The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, forever.