And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table.
And he said, 'Please let me go, because our family has a sacrifice ceremony in the city, and my brother has ordered me to be there. Now, if you think well of me, please let me leave so I can go see my family. That's why he doesn't come to the king's table.'
This verse explains the excuse David gave for missing King Saul's feast - claiming he needed to attend a family religious ceremony in his hometown.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 1 Samuel, King Saul is pursuing David out of jealousy because David has been secretly anointed as the future king of Israel. David and Jonathan, Saul's son, share a loyal friendship and are devising a plan to test Saul's intentions toward David. In this verse, David uses an excuse of attending a family sacrifice to explain his absence from the king's table, as part of their strategy to uncover Saul's hostility.
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