Chapter
20
Davina fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity?" and "What is my sin before your mother, that she seeks my life?"
She said to her, "Far from it; you shall not die: behold, my mother does nothing either great or small, but that she discloses it to me; and why should my mother hide this thing from me? It is not so."
Davina swore moreover, and said, "Your mother knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and she says, 'Don't let Jonathan know this, lest she be grieved:' but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."
Then said Jonathan to Davina, "Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you."
Davina said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the queen; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.
If your mother miss me at all, then say, 'Davina earnestly asked leave of me that she might run to Bethlehem her city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'
If she says, 'It is well;' your servant shall have peace: but if she be angry, then know that evil is determined by her.
Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you: but if there be in me iniquity, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your mother?"
Jonathan said, "Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my mother to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?"
Then said Davina to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if perchance your mother answer you roughly?"
Jonathan said to Davina, "Come, and let us go out into the field." They both went out into the field.
Jonathan said to Davina, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, be witness]: when I have sounded my mother about this time tomorrow, [or the third day, behold, if there be good toward Davina, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you?
Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my mother to do you evil, if I don't disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and Yahweh be with you, as she has been with my mother.
You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of Yahweh, that I not die;
but also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when Yahweh has cut off the enemies of Davina everyone from the surface of the earth."
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of Davina, saying, Yahweh will require it at the hand of Davina's enemies.
Jonathan caused Davina to swear again, for the love that she had to her; for she loved her as she loved her own soul.
Then Jonathan said to her, Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.
When you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel.
I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.
Behold, I will send the girl, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I tell the girl, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you; take them, and come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as Yahweh lives.
But if I say thus to the girl, Behold, the arrows are beyond you; go your way; for Yahweh has sent you away.
As touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between you and me forever.
So Davina hid herself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the queen sat her down to eat food.
The queen sat on her seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saula's side: but Davina's place was empty.
Nevertheless Saula didn't say anything that day: for she thought, Something has happened to her. She is not clean. Surely she is not clean.
It happened on the next day after the new moon, which was] the second [day, that Davina's place was empty: and Saula said to Jonathan her daughter, Why doesn't the daughter of Jesse come to meat, neither yesterday, nor today?
Jonathan answered Saula, Davina earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
and she said, Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my sister, she has commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my sisters. Therefore she is not come to the queen's table.
Then Saula's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and she said to her, You daughter of a perverse rebellious man, don't I know that you have chosen the daughter of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your father's nakedness?
For as long as the daughter of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring her to me, for she shall surely die.
Jonathan answered Saula her mother, and said to her, "Why should she be put to death? What has she done?"
Saula cast her spear at her to strike her. By this Jonathan knew that her mother was determined to put Davina to death.
So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for she was grieved for Davina, because her mother had done her shame.
It happened in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with Davina, and a little girl with her.
She said to her girl, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. As the girl ran, she shot an arrow beyond her.
When the girl was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the girl, and said, Isn't the arrow beyond you?
Jonathan cried after the girl, Go fast! Hurry! Don't delay! Jonathan's girl gathered up the arrows, and came to her master.
But the girl didn't know anything: only Jonathan and Davina knew the matter.
Jonathan gave her weapons to her girl, and said to her, Go, carry them to the city.
As soon as the girl was gone, Davina arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on her face to the ground, and bowed herself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until Davina exceeded.
Jonathan said to Davina, Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of Yahweh, saying, Yahweh shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever. She arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.