David

And Saul sent officers to seize David; and it was answered that he was sick.

And again Saul sent to see David, saying: Bring him to me in the bed, that he may be slain.

But David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel in Ramatha, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in Najoth.

And it was told Saul by some, saying: Behold David is in Najoth, in Ramatha.

So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the Spirit of the Lord came also upon them, and they likewise began to prophesy.

Went also himself to Ramatha, and came as far as the great cistern, which is in Socho, and he asked, and said: In what place are Samuel and David? And it was told him: Behold they are in Najoth, in Ramatha.

But David fled from Najoth, which is in Ramatha, and came and said to Jonathan: What have I done? what is my iniquity, and what is my sin against thy father, that he seeketh my life?

And he swore again to David. And David said: Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, and he will say: Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved. But truly as the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, there is but one step (as I may say) between me and death.

And Jonathan said to David: Whatsoever thy soul shall say to me, I will do for thee.

And David said to Jonathan: Behold to morrow is the new moon, and I, according to custom, am wont to sit beside the king to eat: let me go then that I may be hid in the field till the evening of the third day.

If thy father look and inquire for me, thou shalt answer him: David asked me that he might run to Bethlehem, his own city: because there are solemn sacrifices there for all of his tribe.

And David answered Jonathan: Who shall bring me word, if thy father should answer thee harshly concerning me?

And Jonathan said to David: Come, and let us go out into the field. And when they were both of them gone out into the field,

Jonathan said to David: O Lord God of Israel, if I shall discover my father's mind, to morrow, or the day after, and there be any thing good for David, and I send not immediately to thee, and make it known to thee,

Thou shalt not take away thy kindness from my house for ever, when the Lord shall have rooted out the enemies of David, every one of them from the earth, may he take away Jonathan from his house, and may the Lord require it at the hands of David's enemies.

Jonathan therefore made a covenant with the house of David: and the Lord required it at the hands of David's enemies.

And Jonathan swore again to David, because he loved him: for he loved him as his own soul.

And Jonathan said to him: To morrow is the new moon, and thou wilt be missed:

So David was hid in the field, and the new moon came, and the king sat down to eat bread.

And when the king sat down upon his chair, (according to custom) which was beside the wall, Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place appeared empty.

And when the second day after the new moon was come, David's place appeared empty again. And Saul said to Jonathan, his son: Why cometh not the son of Isai to meat neither yesterday, nor to day?

And Jonathan answered Saul: He asked leave of me earnestly to go to Bethlehem.

And Saul caught up a spear to strike him. And Jonathan understood that it was determined by his father to kill David.

So Jonathan rose from the table in great anger, and did not eat bread on the second day after the new moon. For he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to confusion.

And when the morning came, Jonathan went into the field according to the appointment with David, and a little boy with him.