1 Samuel 20:5
“David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.”
What does 1 Samuel 20:5 mean?
David is asking Jonathan for help with a dangerous situation. King Saul has been trying to kill him, so David plans to skip the royal dinner feast (held at the new moon, an important celebration) and hide in the countryside to see whether Saul's anger toward him is real or just a passing mood. By staying away, David hopes Jonathan will notice how Saul reacts to his absence, which would tell them whether the king truly means David harm. This captures a moment of real fear mixed with careful thinking. David can't simply run away without knowing if Saul is genuinely plotting against him or just suspicious, so he's asking his best friend to help him figure out the truth. It shows both the vulnerability of being hunted and the importance of having someone you trust in your corner.