34. Therefore he did not suffer him to be
slain, but removed only his spear, which stood by his head, and his
cruse of water. Then, whilst all were sleeping, he left the camp
and went across to the top of the hill, and began to reproach the royal
attendants, and especially their general Abner, for not keeping
faithful watch over their lord and king. Next, he showed them
where the king’s spear and cruse were which had stood at his
head. And when the king called to him, he restored the spear, and
said: “The Lord render to every man his righteousness and
faithfulness, for the Lord delivered thee into my hand, but I would not
avenge myself on the Lord’s anointed.” 1 Sam. [1
Kings] xxvi. 23. Even whilst he said this, he
feared his plots and fled, changing his place in exile. However,
he never put safety before innocency, seeing that when a second
opportunity was given him of killing the king, he would not use the
chance that came to him, and which put in his reach certain safety
instead of fear, and a kingdom instead of exile.