<p class="bodytext">David said to Jonathan, &#8220;Tomorrow is the new moon, and I am certainly expected to join the king for a meal.<n id="1" /> You must send me away so I can hide in the field until the third evening from now.

David replied to Ahimelech the priest, &#8220;The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, &#8216;Don&#8217;t let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.&#8217;<n id="1" /> I have told my soldiers<n id="2" /> to wait at a certain place.<n id="3" />

Then David said to Abiathar, &#8220;I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I am guilty<n id="1" /> of all the deaths in your father&#8217;s house!

He said to him, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this.&#8221;

David said to him, &#8220;To whom do you belong, and where are you from?&#8221; The young man said, &#8220;I am an Egyptian, the servant of an Amalekite man. My master abandoned me when I was ill for three days.

David&#8217;s men said to him, &#8220;This is the day about which the <sc>Lordsc> said to you, &#8216;I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" /> So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul&#8217;s robe.