The Lord will not abandon his people because he wants to uphold his great reputation. ¹  The Lord was pleased to make you his own people.

Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt ¹  for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the Lord has granted my lord success, ²  please remember your servant.”

David was very upset, for the men ¹  were thinking of stoning him; ²  each man grieved bitterly ³  over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the Lord his God.

Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with the rest of his gear, including his sword, his bow, and even his belt.

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

There was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. So whenever Saul saw anyone who was a warrior or a brave individual, he would conscript him.

The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding on the hill of Hakilah near ¹  Jeshimon?”

and Hebron; and for those in whatever other places David and his men had traveled.

The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied! ¹  The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David!

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 

But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said ¹  to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become ²  our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men? ³ 

¹  Then the leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.

Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out after Saul, “My lord, O king!” When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground.

But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, “No! ¹  Appoint a king over us.” Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.’”

Now David achieved success in all he did, ¹  for the Lord was with him.

When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him.

When the servant had left, David got up from beside the mound, ¹  knelt ²  with his face to the ground, and bowed three times. Then they kissed each other and they both wept, especially David.

Here is what the Lord of hosts says: ‘I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed ¹  Israel along the way when Israel ²  came up from Egypt.

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 

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!”