²⁴ So David hid in the field. When the New Moon festival [20:5] came, the king sat down to eat. ²⁵ He sat where he ·always [usually; customarily] sat, near the wall. Jonathan sat ·across from [facing] him, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. ²⁶ That day Saul said nothing. He thought, “Maybe something has happened to David so that he is unclean. [^LYes, surely he is unclean; ^Critually unclean so he could not participate in a religious ceremony; Lev. 11–15]