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[310]
After this came certain of the Ziphites, and told Saul that David
was come again into their country, and if he would afford them his assistance,
they could catch him. So he came to them with three thousand armed men;
and upon the approach of night, he pitched his camp at a certain place
called Hachilah. But when David heard that Saul was coming against him,
he sent spies, and bid them let him know to what place of the country Saul
was already come; and when they told him that he was at Hachilah, he concealed
his going away from his companions, and came to Saul's camp, having taken
with him Abishai, his sister Zeruiah's son, and Ahimelech the Hittite.
Now Saul was asleep, and the armed men, with Abner their commander, lay
round about him in a circle. Hereupon David entered into the king's tent;
but he did neither kill Saul, though he knew where he lay, by the spear
that was stuck down by him, nor did he give leave to Abishai, who would
have killed him, and was earnestly bent upon it so to do; for he said it
was a horrid crime to kill one that was ordained king by God, although
he was a wicked man; for that he who gave him the dominion would in time
inflict punishment upon him. So he restrained his eagerness; but that it
might appear to have been in his power to have killed him when he refrained
from it, he took his spear, and the cruse of water which stood by Saul
as he lay asleep, without being perceived by any in the camp, who were
all asleep, and went securely away, having performed every thing among
the king's attendants that the opportunity afforded, and his boldness encouraged
him to do. So when he had passed over a brook, and was gotten up to the
top of a hill, whence he might be sufficiently heard, he cried aloud to
Saul's soldiers, and to Abner their commander, and awaked them out of their
sleep, and called both to him and to the people. Hereupon the commander
heard him, and asked who it was that called him. To whom David replied,
"It is I, the son of Jesse, whom you make a vagabond. But what is
the matter? Dost thou, that art a man of so great dignity, and of the first
rank in the king's court, take so little care of thy master's body? and
is sleep of more consequence to thee than his preservation, and thy care
of him? This negligence of yours deserves death, and punishment to be inflicted
on you, who never perceived when, a little while ago, some of us entered
into your camp, nay, as far as to the king himself, and to all the rest
of you. If thou look for the king's spear and his cruse of water, thou
wilt learn what a mighty misfortune was ready to overtake you in your very
camp without your knowing it." Now when Saul knew David's voice, and
understood that when he had him in his power while he was asleep, and his
guards took no care of him, yet did not he kill him, but spared him, when
he might justly have cut him off, he said that he owed him thanks for his
preservation; and exhorted him to be of good courage, and not be afraid
of suffering any mischief from him any more, and to return to his own home,
for he was now persuaded that he did not love himself so well as he was
loved by him: that he had driven away him that could guard him, and had
given many demonstrations of his good-will to him: that he had forced him
to live so long in a state of banishment, and in great fears of his life,
destitute of his friends and his kindred, while still he was often saved
by him, and frequently received his life again when it was evidently in
danger of perishing. So David bade them send for the spear and the cruse
of water, and take them back; adding this withal, That God would be the
judge of both their dispositions, and of the actions that flowed from the
same, "who knows that then it was this day in my power to have killed
thee I abstained from it."
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