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."

And David swore moreover, and said, "Thy father knoweth well that I
have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, 'Let not Jonathan know
this, lest he be grieved': but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death."

Then said Jonathan to David, "Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will
even do it for thee."

And David said to 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 until the third day at even. 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.' If he say thus, 'It is well'; thy
servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know {401} that
evil is determined by him. Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for
thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee:
but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest
thou bring me to thy father?"

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?"

Then said David to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if perchance thy
father answer thee roughly?"

And Jonathan said to David, "Come and let us go out into the field."
And they went out both of them into the field.

And Jonathan said to David, "The Lord, 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? The Lord 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 the
Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father. And thou shalt not
only while yet I live show me the kindness of the Lord, that I die
not: but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for
ever: no, not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of David everyone
from the face of the earth."

So Jonathan made a covenant with David.

And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to
him: for he loved him as he lov