And a man’s voice answered, “Sick or well, we must see David.” And the man and his companions had daggers in their hands.
“Come in, then,” said Michal, “and I will take you to his room.”
And when they came into David’s room and saw David, as they supposed, lying in the bed asleep, they drew their daggers with one accord and stabbed him with all their might. And the daggers stuck in the wooden image!
Now David had another friend at court beside his wife the princess, and that was his wife’s brother, Jonathan. Jonathan loved David as his own soul. Indeed, Jonathan had given David his own royal robe, and his sword and his bow, and had said, “After my father is dead, you shall be king and not I.”
So David sent word to Jonathan, and said, “Find out how serious this is. Is it only your father’s madness getting worse, or does he really intend to take my life?”
And they made this plan. The next day there was to be a great dinner at the king’s house, and David’s place would be empty. And Saul would notice the empty place, and Jonathan would listen to hear what he would say, and would let David know.
And Jonathan said, “The day after to-morrow I will go out into the field with my bow, as if I meant to shoot at a mark. And you be hiding. I will shoot five arrows and send the boy to fetch them. If I say, ‘Here, boy, the arrows are on this side,’ then you may know that all is well. But if I say, ‘Go farther, the arrows are beyond you,’ then flee for your life. But promise me now, David, that when you come, as you surely will, to be prosperous and great, you will be good to me and to my children.” And David promised.
So at the feast, the place was empty. And Saul said, “Where is David?” and Jonathan said, “He has gone to Bethlehem.” And Saul rose up in fierce anger and took his spear and tried to kill his son.
Then the next day, Jonathan went out with his bow and shot five arrows, and as the boy went to pick them up, he called, “Go farther, the arrows are beyond you.” And David knew that there was but a step between him and death. And Jonathan sent the boy home and found David, and they both wept bitterly. Then Jonathan returned to his father’s house, and David fled as fast as he could go into the wilderness.