But David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's robe; and he hastily forbade his men to touch the king, for was he not the Lord's anointed? Presently Saul awoke from his sleep and went out of the cave, and David followed him and called out to him, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped and bowed low before him. And David said to Saul: "Why do you regard men's words, telling you that I seek your hurt? Look, how this very day the Lord has delivered you into my hand in the cave, and some bade me kill you; but my eye has spared you, and I said, 'I will not put forth my hand to hurt the Lord's anointed!' Moreover, see, my father, here is the skirt of your robe in my hand! Surely you know now that I have not tried to hurt you, and yet you have hunted my soul to take it! The Lord is judge between us; He will plead my cause, and will deliver me out of your hand!" When David had said these gentle and brave words, Saul said: "Is this thy voice, my son David?" and Saul lifted up his voice and wept. Then he said to David: "You have been more honourable than I have, for you have rewarded me with good, and I have rewarded you with evil. Therefore may the Lord reward you good for what you have done to me this day." And then he went on to tell David that he knew he would be king one day, and he earnestly begged him to be merciful to his father's house and not let his name perish out of the land. So David promised him, before the Lord. Then Saul went to his home, and David returned to his stronghold. Saul later on again attempted to capture David, taking with him three thousand men. David heard where Saul was camped, and taking Abishai with him, entered Saul's camp by night. They found Saul asleep with his captain in a trench, with his men lying all around. Abishai wished to kill Saul, but David refused, saying, "Destroy him not: for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?" So they took Saul's spear and water-bottle that was against his head and got away without anyone seeing them. So David again spared the life of the man who for years had tried to kill him. [Illustration] [Illustration] VII. MOSES IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN EXODUS 2.13-25 MOSES grew up from that little babe who had been hidden in the flags or reeds of the Nile, and he had been educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, as if he had been the real son of Pharaoh's daughter. God was watching over Moses all the time, and preparing him for the great and wonderful work he was to do. Do we all sometimes feel it very hard to learn difficult tasks? Do we, as we grow older, sometimes wonder what work God is getting us ready to do for Him? I remember when I was young, how I was asked to stay for a fortnight at a lady's house whom I had never seen, or heard of, before. She called on my father, and said she should like to know his two eldest daughters, and would he allow us to come and stay with her?