约拿单帮助大卫
大卫从拉玛的拿约逃跑，来到约拿单面前，对他说：“我做了什么，有什么罪孽，在你父亲面前犯了什么罪，他竟要寻索我的性命呢？”
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
2约拿单对他说：“绝无此事！你必不至于死。看哪，我父做事，无论大小，没有不告诉我的。我父亲为什么要隐瞒我这件事呢？不会这样的！”And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
3大卫又起誓说：“你父亲确实知道我在你眼前蒙恩。所以他说，‘这事不要让约拿单知道，免得他愁烦。’我指着永生的耶和华起誓，又指着你的性命起誓，我离死只差一步而已。”And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
4约拿单对大卫说：“你心里所求的，我必为你成就。”Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
5大卫对约拿单说：“看哪，明日是初一，我必须与王同席用餐，求你让我去藏在田野，直到第三日傍晚。And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
6你父亲若见我不在席上，你就说：‘大卫恳求我允许他赶回本城伯利恒去，因为他全家在那里献年祭。’If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7你父亲若说好，你的仆人就平安了；他若大怒，你就知道他决意行恶。If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
8求你施恩于仆人，因你在耶和华面前曾与仆人立约。我若有罪孽，你就亲自杀死我，何必把我交给你父亲呢？”Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
9约拿单说：“绝无此事！我若确实知道我父亲决意害你，怎么会不告诉你呢？”And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
10大卫对约拿单说：“你父亲若严厉回答你，谁来告诉我呢？”Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?
11约拿单对大卫说：“来，让我们到田野去。”二人就往田野去了。And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12约拿单对大卫说：“愿耶和华－以色列的神作证。明日约在这时候，或第三日，我一探出我父亲的心意，看哪，若对大卫是好意，我怎么会不派人来告诉你呢？And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;
13我父亲若有意害你，而我不告诉你，送你平安地离开，愿耶和华重重惩罚约拿单。愿耶和华与你同在，如同从前与我父亲同在一样。The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
14你要照耶和华的慈爱恩待我，不但我活着的时候免我死亡，And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
15就是耶和华从地面逐一剪除大卫仇敌的时候，你也永不可向我家断绝恩惠。”But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
16于是约拿单与大卫家立约：“愿耶和华从大卫仇敌☛“大卫仇敌”是“大卫子孙”的委婉用语，避免诅咒大卫的子孙。的手来追讨。”So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
17约拿单因爱大卫如同爱自己的性命，就叫他再起誓。And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18约拿单对他说：“明日是初一，你的座位空着，人必察觉你不在。Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
19到第三日，就要走一段长路下去☛“就要走一段长路下去”：七十士译本是“人家更会察觉”。，去到你遇事那天所藏的地方，在以色磐石☛“以色磐石”：七十士译本是“石堆”。的旁边等候。And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
20我会向磐石旁边射三箭，如同射箭靶一样。And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21看哪，我会派僮仆，说：‘去把箭找来。’我若对僮仆喊说：‘看哪，箭在你的这边，把箭拿来’，你就可以平安回来；我指着永生的耶和华起誓，你一定没有事。And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth.
22我若对孩子说：‘看哪，箭在你的前方’，你就要离开，因为是耶和华差你去的。But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.
23至于你和我，我们所说的话，看哪，耶和华在你我中间作证，直到永远。”And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.
24大卫就去藏在田野。到了初一，王要坐席用餐。So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25王照常坐在靠墙的位子上，约拿单在对面☛“在对面”是根据七十士译本；原文是“起身”。，押尼珥坐在扫罗旁边，大卫的座位却是空的。And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
26这日扫罗没有说什么，因为他说：“大卫或许有事，偶染不洁，还未得洁净。”Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27初二，大卫的座位还空着。扫罗对他儿子约拿单说：“耶西的儿子为何昨日、今日都没有来用餐呢？”And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?
28约拿单回答扫罗说：“大卫恳求我允许他回伯利恒去，And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
29说：‘求你让我去，因为我家在城里有献祭的事，我哥哥吩咐我去。如今我若在你眼前蒙恩，求你让我去见我的兄弟。’所以大卫没有来赴王的筵席。”And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.
30扫罗向约拿单怒气大发，对他说：“你这顽梗悖逆之妇人所生的，我怎么会不知道你选择耶西的儿子☛“选择耶西的儿子”：七十士译本是“作耶西儿子的朋友”。，自取羞辱，也使你母亲露体蒙羞呢？Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?
31只要耶西的儿子还活在世上一天，你和你的国必保不住。现在你要派人去，把他带到我这里来，因为他是该死的。”For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
32约拿单回答父亲扫罗说：“他为什么该死呢？他做了什么呢？”And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
33扫罗向约拿单掷枪要刺他，约拿单就知道他父亲决意要杀死大卫。And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34于是约拿单气愤愤地从席上起来。他在初二这天没有吃饭，因为他为大卫愁烦，又因为他父亲羞辱了他。So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35次日早晨，约拿单按着与大卫约定的时候到田野去，有一个小僮仆跟随他。And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
36约拿单对僮仆说：“你跑去把我所射的箭找来。”僮仆跑去，约拿单就把箭射在僮仆的前方。And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37僮仆到了约拿单落箭之地，约拿单呼叫僮仆说：“箭不是在你的前方吗？”And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
38约拿单又呼叫僮仆说：“快去，不要站在那里！”僮仆就捡起箭来，回到主人那里。And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39僮仆不知道这是什么意思，只有约拿单和大卫知道这事。But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40约拿单把他的弓箭交给僮仆，吩咐他说：“你拿到城里去。”And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
41僮仆一去，大卫就从南边☛“南边”：七十士译本是“石堆的旁边”。出来，俯伏在地，拜了三拜。他们彼此亲吻，一起哭泣，大卫哭得更悲哀。And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
42约拿单对大卫说：“你平平安安地去吧！因为我们二人曾指着耶和华的名起誓说：‘愿耶和华在你我中间，以及你我后裔中间作证，直到永远。’”大卫就起身走了，约拿单也回城里去了。And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.