Jonathan said, Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that?
The new moon introduced the new month that the Israelites celebrated with a sacrificial meal. It was both a religious and a civil holiday (Numbers 10:10; Numbers 28:11-15; cf. 2 Kings 4:23). David would normally have been present at the king’s table since he was one of Saul’s high-ranking military commanders. However, David evidently believed that Saul would try to kill him again if he ate with the king (cf. 1 Samuel 18:11; 1 Samuel 19:10-11). Hiding in a field seems to be an extreme measure. Why could David not have gone home to Bethlehem or stayed with friends who would have kept his presence secret from Saul? Perhaps David trusted no one but Jonathan now.