1 And Dovid fled from Naiot in Ramah, and came and said before Yonatan, What have I done? What is mine avon? And what is my chattat before avicha, that he seeketh my nefesh?
2 And he said unto him, Chalilah (may it never be!); thou shalt not die: hinei, avi will do nothing either gadol or katon, but that he will reveal it to me; and why should avi hide this thing from me? It is not so.
3 And Dovid took an oath, moreover, and said, Avicha certainly knoweth that I have found chen in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Yonatan know this, lest he be grieved; but truly as Hashem liveth, and as thy nefesh liveth, there is hardly a peysah (step) between me and mavet.
4 Then said Yonatan unto Dovid, Whatsoever thy nefesh saith, I will even do it for thee.
5 And Dovid said unto Yonatan, Hinei, makhar (tomorrow) is Rosh Chodesh, and I should not fail to sit with HaMelech for tish; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the sadeh unto the erev hashlishit.
6 If avicha at all miss me, then say, Dovid earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beit-Lechem his town; for there is a zevach hayamim there for kol mishpakhat.
7 If he say thus, It is tov; thy eved shall have shalom; but if he be very wrathful, then be sure that ra'ah is determined by him.