Saul said nothing that day because he thought, “Something has happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.”
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
Nevertheless, Saul spake not anything that day,.... About David's absence, took no notice of it, said nothing about it: for he thought something had befallen him; some impurity, some nocturnal pollution, see Lev 15:16, he is not clean, surely he is not clean; which he repeated in his mind for the confirmation of it, and in contempt, and to the reproach of David; and in...
he is not clean--No notice was taken of David's absence, as he might be laboring under some ceremonial defilement.