שמואל א, פרק כ׳, פסוק כ״ז

The tension surrounding the royal table reaches its breaking point on the second day of the New Moon festival. As the celebration continues, David's ongoing absence from the king's feast prompts King Saul to confront his son Jonathan. This pointed inquiry exposes the deep psychological rifts and hidden motives within the royal court.

The festival was celebrated over two consecutive days, a practice indicating that an extra day was added to the new month during that era [מלבי״ם, רד״ק]. On this second day of the month, David's seat remains noticeably empty [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This glaring absence raises immediate questions among the army commanders and the king himself [צאינה וראינה]. Saul turns to Jonathan, known to be David's close friend, and demands to know why David has failed to appear for two days in a row. The king's reasoning is straightforward: even if a random, passing incident caused David to miss the first day's meal, he certainly should have arrived by the second day. Missing the royal feast for two consecutive days is highly unusual [מצודת דוד].

In his questioning, Saul deliberately avoids using David's actual name, referring to him only as the son of Jesse. Commentators explain this calculated choice through two complementary perspectives. One approach suggests that this stems from Saul's intense hatred. It is human nature for a hateful person to avoid saying their enemy's name, opting instead for indirect references. This stands in sharp contrast to Jonathan, whose deep love for David leads him to use his friend's actual name. Hearing Jonathan do so only proves the strength of their bond to Saul, further fueling the king's anger [חומת אנך]. Another perspective suggests that Saul uses this specific title to demean David and diminish his worth. By calling him the son of Jesse, Saul implies that David possesses no true status or merit of his own, and only holds any significance because he is the son of a righteous man [אהבת יהונתן].