334 THE KING'S MIRROR 



where David lay concealed, he marched out to seek him, 

 intending to slay him. 



Then it happened once, when David and his men 

 were hiding in a large cave, that Saul entered this alone 

 on a necessary errand. Then said David's companions: 

 " Now God has fulfilled what He has promised you and 

 has delivered your enemy into your hands; be sure to 

 secure this quarry." David stole up and cut a piece off 

 Saul's mantle, though the king was not aware of it, and 

 returned to his comrades. Then David's companions 

 said to him : " If you are unwilling to lay your own hand 

 upon him, let us kill him." David replied: " My crime 

 would be as great before God, whether I do it myself 

 or bid others do itf God keep me and all our compan- 

 ions from such a sin as to lay hands upon the Lord's. 

 anointed. He is my master and I served him long; he 

 is also the Lord's anointed and it would be a great 

 crime, if I were to lay hands upon him, for I have no 

 revenge to take either for father or brother or any other 

 kinsman ; nor is jtjas if he had taken the throne which 

 he^sits upon from my kinsmen with violence OT deceit; 

 but God chose him to it and sanctified him to His serv- 



ice, honoring Jiin^J^hJS^oj^jg^me. Wherefore it is 

 right that[_He Who appointed him to thejdngship 

 should deprive him of it according to His willjbut not 

 I in vengeful audacity. And I swear this day that God 

 alone shall call him, whether by demanding his soul or 

 by causing him to fall in battle before his enemies; but 

 as for my hands, they shall let him live many days. But 

 I regret deeply that I injured his garment if he shall 

 feel hurt or dishonored because of it." 



