ow old and feeble, came to join his band of followers, and soon he was
the chief of a band numbering about four hundred outlaws, among them
some famous warriors who later became noted captains in his army, after
he became King of Israel.

Although the wild, free life of the forest was what exactly suited
David's own youth and vigour, he felt that his parents were too infirm
to bear it, and with characteristic thoughtfulness, he went at once to
the King of Moab and begged him to give a home to the old people until
he should have a safer place of shelter for them. David's grand-mother
was Ruth the Moabitess, which according to the rule of Eastern
hospitality, entitled all her relations to whatever aid they needed
from any of the tribe of Moab, and so the King of Moab cordially
assented to David's request, and received Jesse and his wife as inmates
of his home.

Among David's first followers were some clever warriors of the tribe of
Gad, men fierce in war, and strong and swift of foot. With him also was
the prophet Gad himself, and there were even some men from the tribe of
Benjamin, the tribe to which King Saul belonged, who joined David's
company. It seems to have been a peculiarity of the Benjamites that
they could use either hand with equal skill, and those who joined David
were armed with bows, and were very valuable allies because they could
use both the right hand and the left at once in hurling stones, and
shooting arrows, and never miss their aim. At first David feared
treachery from these Benjamites, but when he asked them frankly what
their intentions were, they said:

"We are thine, David, peace be unto thee and thy helpers, for thy God
helpeth thee." Then David received them, and made them captains of his
army, and they became enthusiastic admirers of their young leader, as
were all David's band.

One incident shows what passionate affection his men felt for him.
Saul's army in losing David had lost the one captain who could keep the
Philistines in check, and they were over-running the country in
numerous bands, having their headquarters in the valley of Rephaim,
near Jerusalem. One night, in a moment of fond recollection of a
happier past, David cried out in an intense longing for a drink of
water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem by which he had often
driven his sheep in his younger days. At once, three of his men,
without telling him what they were going to do, forced a passage
through the Phili