1 Samuel 20:5-11

20:5 David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am certainly expected to join the king for a meal. ¹  You must send me away so I can hide in the field until the third evening from now. 20:6 If your father happens to miss me, you should say, ‘David urgently requested me to let him go ²  to his city Bethlehem, ³  for there is an annual sacrifice there for his entire family.’ 20:7 If he should then say, ‘That’s fine,’ ⁴  then your servant is safe. But if he becomes very angry, be assured that he has decided to harm me. ⁵  20:8 You must be loyal ⁶  to your servant, for you have made a covenant with your servant in the Lord’s name. ⁷  If I am guilty, ⁸  you yourself kill me! Why bother taking me to your father?”

20:9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you to suggest this! If I were at all aware that my father had decided to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?” 20:10 David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 20:11 Jonathan said to David, “Come on. Let’s go out to the field.”

When the two of them had gone out into the field,

[20:5]  ¹ tn Heb “and I must surely sit with the king to eat.” The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.

[20:6]  ² tn Heb “to run.”

[20:6]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[20:7]  ³ tn Heb “good.”

[20:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “know that the evil is completed from with him.”

[20:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “and you must do loyalty.”

[20:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “for into a covenant of the Lord you have brought your servant with you.”

[20:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “and if there is in me guilt.”