1 Samuel 20:18
“Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.”
What does 1 Samuel 20:18 mean?
Jonathan is warning David that if he doesn't show up at King Saul's royal feast the next day, his absence will be noticed and raise suspicion. The new moon festival was an important religious gathering where everyone of status was expected to appear, making it the perfect opportunity for Jonathan to see whether Saul suspects David of disloyalty. This moment captures the tension of their friendship: Jonathan is risking his own father's wrath to help David understand the danger he's in and to test whether Saul's hostility toward him is truly dangerous or just a passing mood.