33. When David fled from the face of King
Saul, 1 Sam. [1
Kings] xxvi. 2. because the king was seeking him in the
desert with three thousand chosen men
to put him to death, he entered the
king’s camp and found him sleeping. There he not only did
him no injury, but actually guarded him from being slain by any who had
entered with him. For when Abishai said to him: “The
Lord hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day, now therefore
I will slay him,” he answered: “Destroy him not, for
who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and
be guiltless?” And he added: “As the Lord
liveth, unless the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to die,
or he shall die in battle, and it be laid to me, the Lord forbid that I
should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s
anointed.” 1 Sam. [1
Kings] xxvi. 8–10.