25. He took his customary seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite him while Abner sat beside Saul. David’s seat was empty.
26. Saul didn’t say anything that day because he thought, Perhaps David became unclean somehow. That must be it.
27. But on the next day, the second of the new moon, David’s seat was still empty. Saul said to his son Jonathan, "Why hasn’t Jesse’s son come to the table, either yesterday or today?"
28. Jonathan answered Saul, "David begged my permission to go to Bethlehem.