1 Samuel 20:26

26 And Saul said nothing that day, for he thought it might have happened to him, that he was not clean, nor purified.

1 Samuel 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.

1 Samuel 20:26 In-Context

24 So David was hid in the field, and the new moon came, and the king sat down to eat bread.
25 And when the king sat down upon his chair, (according to custom) which was beside the wall, Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place appeared empty.
26 And Saul said nothing that day, for he thought it might have happened to him, that he was not clean, nor purified.
27 And when the second day after the new moon was come, David’s place appeared empty again. And Saul said to Jonathan, his son: Why cometh not the son of Isai to meat neither yesterday, nor to day?
28 And Jonathan answered Saul: He asked leave of me earnestly to go to Bethlehem.
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