³ Then ^(A)Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

¹² Then Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and ^[a]make it known to you? ¹³ If it please my father to do you harm, ^(A)may the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not ^[b]make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And ^(B)may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. ¹⁴ If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die? ^15 (C)You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” ¹⁶ So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “^(D)May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies.” ¹⁷ Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because ^(E)he loved him as he loved his own life.

⁴² Jonathan said to David, “^(A)Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘^(B)The Lord will be between me and you, and between my ^[a]descendants and your ^[b]descendants forever.’” ^[c]Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

9 Then David said, “Is there yet ^[a]anyone left of the house of Saul, ^(A)that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

⁷ But the king spared ^(A)Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, ^(B)because of the oath of the Lord which was between them, between David and Saul’s son Jonathan.