1 Samuel 20:6

6 If your father misses me at all, say, 'David begged me to let him hurry to Beit-Lechem, his city; because it's the annual sacrifice there for his whole family.'

1 Samuel 20:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:6

If thy father at all miss me
Or diligently inquires after me:

then say, David earnestly asked leave of me, that he might run to
Bethlehem his city:
the place of his birth, called the city of David, where he was born and had lived, ( Luke 2:4 ) ( John 7:42 ) , which was not far from Gibeah, and whither he could soon run; and which shows the haste he proposed to make, and his eager desire to be there, and which also is signified by his earnest and importunate request; for all this might be true, and no lie of David, framed for an excuse; and after he had hid himself some time in the field, until it was evening, he might go to Bethlehem, and return soon enough to meet Jonathan in the field at the time fixed by them on the third day:

for [there] is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family;
it was customary for the family of Jesse one day in a year, and as it should seem on a first day of the month, and perhaps the first day of the first month, or New Year's Day, to have an anniversary feast by way of gratitude and thankfulness for the mercies of the year past, and for the continuance of them for time to come; in which the family rejoiced together at the great goodness of God unto them, ( 1 Samuel 9:12 ) .

1 Samuel 20:6 In-Context

4 Y'honatan said to David, "Anything you want me to do for you, I'll do."

5 David answered Y'honatan, "Look, tomorrow is Rosh-Hodesh, and I ought to be dining with the king. Instead, let me go and hide myself in the countryside until evening of the third day.

6 If your father misses me at all, say, 'David begged me to let him hurry to Beit-Lechem, his city; because it's the annual sacrifice there for his whole family.'

7 If he says, 'Very good,' then your servant will be all right. But if he gets angry, you will know that he has planned something bad.

8 Therefore show kindness to your servant, for you bound your servant to yourself by a covenant before ADONAI. But if I have done something wrong, kill me yourself! Why turn me over to your father?"