1 Samuel 20:26

²⁴ So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat.

²⁵ He sat in his usual place by the wall, opposite Jonathan and beside Abner, but David’s place was empty.

Saul said nothing that day because he thought, “Something has happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.”

²⁷ But on the day after the New Moon, the second day, David’s place was still empty, and Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal either yesterday or today?”

²⁸ Jonathan answered, “David urgently requested my permission to go to Bethlehem,

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Saul said nothing that day because he thought, “Something has happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.”
KJV: Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
WEB: Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.”
ASV: Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
DARBY: And Saul said nothing that day; for he thought, Something has befallen [him], that he is not clean: surely he is not clean.
BLB: And Saul did not say anything on that day, for he said, “Something has happened to [that] he [is] not clean; he surely [is] not clean.”

ÅB: Saul sa ikke noe den dag; for han tenkte: Det har hendt ham noe, så han ikke er ren[^3] - nei, han er ikke ren.
OTB: Likevel sa Saul ingenting den dagen, for han tenkte: "Det må være en tilfeldighet; han er ikke seremonielt ren; sikkert er han ikke ren."
B1930: Saul sa ikke noget den dag; for han tenkte: Det har hendt ham noget, så han ikke er ren - nei, han er ikke ren. / < 3MO 15, 16 fg.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Leviticus 15:5
Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening.
Read in context
Leviticus 11:24
These creatures will make you unclean. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,
Read in context
Leviticus 11:27
All the four-footed animals that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening,
Read in context
Leviticus 7:20–21
But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.
Read in context
Leviticus 11:40
Whoever eats from the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening, and anyone who picks up the carcass must wash his clothes and will be unclean until evening.
Read in context
1 Samuel 16:5
“In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
Read in context
Leviticus 15:19–21
When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening.
Read in context
Leviticus 11:31
These animals are unclean for you among all the crawling creatures. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.
Read in context