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."

10. Thus Saul having escaped the hands of David twice, he went his way
to his royal palace, and his own city: but David was afraid, that if he
staid there he should be caught by Saul; so h