“Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”

May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.

May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”

And you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.

Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.

“Go home,” the king said to the woman, “and I will give orders on your behalf.”

And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”

“Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!

The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,

Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”

Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. By no means should you kill him; she is his mother.”

And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”