1 Samuel 20:27
“On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why doesn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday, or today?””
What does 1 Samuel 20:27 mean?
Saul has noticed that David, who should be present at the royal feast, is missing. This moment marks a turning point in their relationship, because Saul's suspicion about David is about to be confirmed. Jonathan, Saul's son and David's closest friend, knows that David deliberately stayed away to test whether Saul still wanted him dead, and now he has to decide whether to protect his friend or his father. The tension here is deeply personal, not just political, as it forces Jonathan to choose between loyalty to his father and loyalty to the person he loves most.