⁸ As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant^(A) with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill^(B) me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”

¹⁶ So Jonathan^(A) made a covenant^(B) with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.^(C)”

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

⁴² Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace,^(A) for we have sworn friendship^(B) with each other in the name of the Lord,^(C) saying, ‘The Lord is witness^(D) between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.^(E)’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.^[a]

⁸ Is that why you have all conspired^(A) against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant^(B) with the son of Jesse.^(C) None of you is concerned^(D) about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”

¹⁸ The two of them made a covenant^(A) before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

²¹ Now swear^(A) to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.^(B)”

⁷ The king spared Mephibosheth^(A) son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath^(B) before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul.