english Bible Presentation Sharing - 1-Samuel Book, chapter 20, verse 44 in Ncv Version

1 Samuel 20 : 1 (NCV)

Then David ran away from Naioth in Ramah. He went to Jonathan and asked, "What have I done? What is my crime? How did I sin against your father? Why is he trying to kill me?"

1 Samuel 20 : 2 (NCV)

Jonathan answered, "No! You won't die! See, my father doesn't do anything great or small without first telling me. Why would he keep this from me? It's not true!"

1 Samuel 20 : 3 (NCV)

But David took an oath, saying, "Your father knows very well that you like me. He says to himself, 'Jonathan must not know about it, or he will tell David.' As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I am only a step away from death!"

1 Samuel 20 : 4 (NCV)

Jonathan said to David, "I'll do anything you want me to do."

1 Samuel 20 : 5 (NCV)

So David said, "Look, tomorrow is the New Moon festival. I am supposed to eat with the king, but let me hide in the field until the third evening.

1 Samuel 20 : 6 (NCV)

If your father notices I am gone, tell him, 'David begged me to let him go to his hometown of Bethlehem. Every year at this time his family group offers a sacrifice.'

1 Samuel 20 : 7 (NCV)

If your father says, 'Fine,' I am safe. But if he becomes angry, you will know that he wants to hurt me.

1 Samuel 20 : 8 (NCV)

Jonathan, be loyal to me, your servant. You have made an agreement with me before the Lord. If I am guilty, you may kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?"

1 Samuel 20 : 9 (NCV)

Jonathan answered, "No, never! If I learn that my father plans to hurt you, I will warn you!"

1 Samuel 20 : 10 (NCV)

David asked, "Who will let me know if your father answers you unkindly?"

1 Samuel 20 : 11 (NCV)

Then Jonathan said, "Come, let's go out into the field." So the two of them went out into the field.

1 Samuel 20 : 12 (NCV)

Jonathan said to David, "I promise this before the Lord, the God of Israel: At this same time the day after tomorrow, I will find out how my father feels. If he feels good toward you, I will send word to you and let you know.

1 Samuel 20 : 13 (NCV)

But if my father plans to hurt you, I will let you know and send you away safely. May the Lord punish me terribly if I don't do this. And may the Lord be with you as he has been with my father.

1 Samuel 20 : 14 (NCV)

But show me the kindness of the Lord as long as I live so that I may not die.

1 Samuel 20 : 15 (NCV)

You must never stop showing your kindness to my family, even when the Lord has destroyed all your enemies from the earth."

1 Samuel 20 : 16 (NCV)

So Jonathan made an agreement with David. He said, "May the Lord hold David's enemies responsible."

1 Samuel 20 : 17 (NCV)

And Jonathan asked David to repeat his promise of love for him, because he loved David as much as he loved himself.

1 Samuel 20 : 18 (NCV)

Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the New Moon festival. Your seat will be empty, so my father will miss you.

1 Samuel 20 : 19 (NCV)

On the third day go to the place where you hid when this trouble began. Wait by the rock Ezel.

1 Samuel 20 : 20 (NCV)

On the third day I will shoot three arrows to the side of the rock as if I am shooting at a target.

1 Samuel 20 : 21 (NCV)

Then I will send a boy to find the arrows. If I say to him, 'The arrows are near you; bring them here,' you may come out of hiding. You are safe. As the Lord lives, there is no danger.

1 Samuel 20 : 22 (NCV)

But if I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' you must go, because the Lord is sending you away.

1 Samuel 20 : 23 (NCV)

Remember what we talked about. The Lord is a witness between you and me forever."

1 Samuel 20 : 24 (NCV)

So David hid in the field. When the New Moon festival came, the king sat down to eat.

1 Samuel 20 : 25 (NCV)

He sat where he always sat, near the wall. Jonathan sat across from him, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David's place was empty.

1 Samuel 20 : 26 (NCV)

That day Saul said nothing. He thought, "Maybe something has happened to David so that he is unclean."

1 Samuel 20 : 27 (NCV)

But the next day was the second day of the month, and David's place was still empty. So Saul said to Jonathan, "Why hasn't the son of Jesse come to the feast yesterday or today?"

1 Samuel 20 : 28 (NCV)

Jonathan answered, "David begged me to let him go to Bethlehem.

1 Samuel 20 : 29 (NCV)

He said, 'Let me go, because our family has a sacrifice in the town, and my brother has ordered me to be there. Now if I am your friend, please let me go to see my brothers.' That is why he has not come to the king's table."

1 Samuel 20 : 30 (NCV)

Then Saul became very angry with Jonathan. He said, "You son of a wicked, worthless woman! I know you are on the side of David son of Jesse! You bring shame on yourself and on your mother who gave birth to you.

1 Samuel 20 : 31 (NCV)

As long as Jesse's son lives, you will never be king or have a kingdom. Now send for David and bring him to me. He must die!"

1 Samuel 20 : 32 (NCV)

Jonathan asked his father, "Why should David be killed? What wrong has he done?"

1 Samuel 20 : 33 (NCV)

Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan, trying to kill him. So Jonathan knew that his father really wanted to kill David.

1 Samuel 20 : 34 (NCV)

Jonathan was very angry and left the table. That second day of the month he refused to eat. He was ashamed of his father and upset over David.

1 Samuel 20 : 35 (NCV)

The next morning Jonathan went out to the field to meet David as they had agreed. He had a young boy with him.

1 Samuel 20 : 36 (NCV)

Jonathan said to the boy, "Run and find the arrows I shoot." When he ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him.

1 Samuel 20 : 37 (NCV)

The boy ran to the place where Jonathan's arrow fell, but Jonathan called, "The arrow is beyond you!"

1 Samuel 20 : 38 (NCV)

Then he shouted, "Hurry! Go quickly! Don't stop!" The boy picked up the arrow and brought it back to his master.

1 Samuel 20 : 39 (NCV)

(The boy knew nothing about what this meant; only Jonathan and David knew.)

1 Samuel 20 : 40 (NCV)

Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and told him, "Go back to town."

1 Samuel 20 : 41 (NCV)

When the boy left, David came out from the south side of the rock. He bowed facedown on the ground before Jonathan three times. Then David and Jonathan kissed each other and cried together, but David cried the most.

1 Samuel 20 : 42 (NCV)

Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace. We have promised by the Lord that we will be friends. We said, 'The Lord will be a witness between you and me, and between our descendants always.'" Then David left, and Jonathan went back to town.