Saul Tries to Kill David

19 Saul told his son Jonathan^(A) and all the attendants to kill^(B) David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David ² and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding^(C) and stay there. ³ I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak^(D) to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”

⁴ Jonathan spoke^(E) well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong^(F) to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. ⁵ He took his life^(G) in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory^(H) for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent^(I) man like David by killing him for no reason?”

⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

⁷ So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.^(J)

¹⁷ And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath^(A) out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

¹⁶ And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength^(A) in God.

David and Mephibosheth

9 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”^(A)