When therefore he had occasion to
ease nature, he entered into it by himself alone; and being seen by one
of David's companions, and he that saw him saying to him, that he had
now, by God's providence, an opportunity of avenging himself of his
adversary; and advising him to cut off his head, and so deliver himself
out of that tedious, wandering condition, and the distress he was in; he
rose up, and only cut off the skirt of that garment which Saul had on:
but he soon repented of what he had done; and said it was not right to
kill him that was his master, and one whom God had thought worthy of the
kingdom; "for that although he were wickedly disposed towards us, yet
does it not behoove me to be so disposed towards him." But when Saul had
left the cave, David came near and cried out aloud, and desired Saul to
hear him; whereupon the king turned his face back, and David, according
to custom, fell down on his face before the king, and bowed to him; and
said, "O king, thou oughtest not to hearken to wicked men, nor to such
as forge calumnies, nor to gratify them so far as to believe what they
say, nor to entertain suspicions of such as are your best friends, but
to judge of the dispositions of all men by their actions; for calumny
deludes men, but men's own actions are a clear demonstration of their
kindness. Words indeed, in their own nature, may be either true or
false, but men's actions expose their intentions nakedly to our view. By
these, therefore it will be well for thee to believe me, as to my regard
to thee and to thy house, and not to believe those that frame such
accusations against me as never came into my mind, nor are possible to
be executed, and do this further by pursuing after my life, and have no
concern either day or night, but how to compass my life and to murder
me, which thing I think thou dost unjustly prosecute; for how comes it
about, that thou hast embraced this false opinion about me, as if I had
a desire to kill thee? Or how canst thou escape the crime of impiety
towards God, when thou wishest thou couldst kill, and deemest thine
adversary, a man who had it in his power this day to avenge himself,
and to punish thee, but would not do it? nor make use of such an
opportunity, which, if it had fallen out to thee against me, thou hadst
not let it slip, for when I cut off the skirt of thy garment, I could
have done the same to thy head." So he showed him the piece of his
garment, and thereby made him agr