He sat in his usual place by the wall, opposite Jonathan and beside Abner, but David’s place was empty.
Jonathan is here effectually convinced of that which he was so loth to believe, that his father had an implacable enmity to David, and would certainly be the death of him if it were in his power; and he had like to have paid very dearly himself for the conviction. I. David is missed from the feast on the first day, but nothing is said of him.
Commenting on 1 Samuel 20:24-34
And the king sat upon his seat as at other times,.... Upon the seat he usually sat on: even upon a seat by the wall; on a couch by the side of the wall; or, as Jarchi and R. Isaiah say, at the head of the couch by the wall, which was the most honourable place; and Kimchi observes, it was the custom in those...
SAUL, MISSING DAVID, SEEKS TO KILL JONAHAN. (1Sa. 20:24-40) the king sat upon his seat, as at other times . . . by the wall--The left-hand corner at the upper end of a room was and still is in the East, the most honorable place. The person seated there has his left arm confined by the wall, but his right hand is at full liberty.