A family feast was likely a yearly gathering (rather than monthly). It would thus be a generally acceptable excuse for David to miss Saul’s feast. A negative response on the part of Saul would be unwarranted and serve to confirm that he had an underlying hatred for David.1 It is also possible that David’s absence would have served to confirm his own royal aspirations seeing as he preferred his own ancestral line over that of Saul.2 This would explain why Saul was so upset with Jonathan and immediately accused him of betraying his family (1 Samuel 20:30).
6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.’