When David ¹  had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan and David became bound together in close friendship. ²  Jonathan loved David as much as he did his own life. ³ 

Stay with me. Don’t be afraid! Whoever ¹  seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure with me.”

In the same way that I valued your life this day, ¹  may the Lord value my life ²  and deliver me from all danger.”

She was very upset ¹  as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably. ² 

Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life. ¹ 

When someone sets out to chase you and to take your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag ¹  of the living by the Lord your God. But he will sling away the lives of your enemies from the sling’s pocket!

Jonathan replied to David, “Tell me what I can do for you.” ¹ 

Jonathan once again took an oath with David, because he loved him. In fact Jonathan loved him as much as he did his own life. ¹ 

David realized ¹  that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph.

Now at your own discretion, ¹  O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our responsibility.”

But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is, ¹  my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. ²  I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to ³  the Lord.

She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord.

Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause your ¹  eyes to fail ²  and will cause you grief. ³  All of those born to your family ⁴  will die in the prime of life. ⁵ 

Then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. He will do what is in my heart and soul. I will build for him a secure dynasty ¹  and he will serve my chosen one for all time. ² 

If the individual said to him, “First let the fat be burned away, and then take for yourself whatever you wish,” he would say, “No! ¹  Hand it over right now! If you don’t, I will take it forcibly!”

¹ Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.”

He risked his life ¹  when he struck down the Philistine and the Lord gave all Israel a great victory. When you saw it, you were happy. So why would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death for no reason?”

Saul sent messengers to David’s house to guard it and to kill him in the morning. Then David’s wife Michal told him, “If you do not save yourself ¹  tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”

David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, ¹  “What have I done? What is my offense? ²  How have I sinned before your father? For he is seeking my life!”

Taking an oath, David again ¹  said, “Your father is very much aware of the fact ²  that I have found favor with you, and he has thought, ³  ‘Don’t let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives and you live, there is about one step between me and death!”