Shmuel Alef 20:26

26 Nevertheless Sha’ul spoke not anything that day; for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not tahor; surely he is not tahor.

Shmuel Alef 20:26 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 20:26

Nevertheless, Saul spake not anything that day
About David's absence, took no notice of it, said nothing about it:

for he thought something had befallen him;
some impurity, some nocturnal pollution, see ( Leviticus 15:16 ) ;

he [is] not clean, surely he [is] not clean;
which he repeated in his mind for the confirmation of it, and in contempt, and to the reproach of David; and in this way he accounted for his absence the first day, and so was easy, it not being lawful and fitting for an unclean person in a ceremonial sense to eat of the peace offerings, which Saul and his family were now partaking of.

Shmuel Alef 20:26 In-Context

24 So Dovid hid himself in the sadeh; and when Rosh Chodesh was come, HaMelech sat him down to eat lechem.

25 And HaMelech sat upon his moshav (seat), as at other times, even upon a moshav by the wall; and Yonatan arose, and Avner sat by Sha’ul’s side, and Dovid’s makom (place) was empty.

26 Nevertheless Sha’ul spoke not anything that day; for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not tahor; surely he is not tahor.

27 And it came to pass on the day after Rosh Chodesh, which was the second day of the month, that Dovid’s makom was empty; and Sha’ul said unto Yonatan bno, Wherefore cometh not Ben Yishai to halechem neither yesterday, nor today?

28 And Yonatan answered Sha’ul, Dovid earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beit-Lechem;