better at secret tactics than they are.”
“And risk killing the Lord’s anointed. You know my answer to that.” David joined the rest of his men in the back of the cave, his hope mingling once again with despair.
Daniel drew a groove in the floor as he paced from the back of the cave to within a long stone’s throw of the cave’s entrance. The space, illuminated by a few clay lamps, held a handful of David’s men, all of them anxious and tense, ready to jump up and claw their way out of this stifling place at a moment’s notice. Daniel consoled himself that he would be the first, warding off the closed-in feeling with this frantic activity.
He glanced at David, who sat with his back against the cool limestone, eyes closed. Their leader gave the impression that he hadn’t a care and could sleep through an earthquake. His apparent peace was the exact opposite of what Daniel was feeling now. How long did David expect to sit there doing nothing? What if Saul found Talya or his son? His heartbeat kicked up a notch as he envisioned the worst— Talya ravaged by enemy warriors. Surely not. These men hunting David down were fellow Israelites, not some foreign enemy.
He stopped midstride and swung around on his heel, turning back toward the cave’s mouth. There had to be something he could do—anything to dispel the tension knotting every muscle, worrying every thought. If he crept closer to the entrance, perhaps he could get an idea of what they were up against. It had been hours since they’d last heard from a lookout. What if Saul had captured them? Why wasn’t David allowing him to take a turn? Maybe David’s trust wasn’t so certain after all.
The thought depressed him even as a new determination to do something, to find out what was going on, pressed in on him. He reached the limit of the lamp’s shadowed light and paused, then felt along the wall of the cave. He followed the natural bend and moved toward the late afternoon light coming through the opening. Squinting, he stopped and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, then continued forward slowly, one foot in front of the other, keeping his head tilted, listening.
A heavy groan made him pause. Silence met his ear, then more indecipherable sounds. An animal? He crept closer. His eyes fully adjusted to the darkness now, and the sight before him stopped him cold. There hunched on a sitting stone was the king of Israel, his back to Daniel, his robe splayed out around him, his crown slightly askew as he rocked back and forth, grunting. What providence was this? The man was close enough to touch with no one guarding him.
Giddy laughter bubbled to Daniel’s lips, but he clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle the sound that would give him away. Surely God was smiling on David. He had given his enemy into his hand! How easy it would be to thrust a dagger into the king’s side or lop that crowned head from his shoulders and take it to David. The thought made his heart thud harder and his knees almost weak.
It would be easy . . . but what if David thought otherwise? No, first he would bring the news to the men and convince David that God was the one who had delivered Saul into David’s hands. Then he would gladly thrust a blade into the old king’s side. And place Saul’s crown on David’s head.
“David!” A touch on David’s arm startled him awake. He looked up, senses on instant high alert, to meet Daniel’s excited expression. “The king is here,” he whispered, bending low, “at the mouth of the cave, without a guard, trying to relieve himself.”
Saul was here? Unguarded? Impossible. David rubbed his eyes and pushed to his feet. The other men crowded close. One look into their eager faces told David they had heard.
“This is the day of which the Lord spoke when He said to you He would deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do what seems good to you,” Benaiah said, one hand touching the hilt of his dagger.
“It’s a
“And risk killing the Lord’s anointed. You know my answer to that.” David joined the rest of his men in the back of the cave, his hope mingling once again with despair.
Daniel drew a groove in the floor as he paced from the back of the cave to within a long stone’s throw of the cave’s entrance. The space, illuminated by a few clay lamps, held a handful of David’s men, all of them anxious and tense, ready to jump up and claw their way out of this stifling place at a moment’s notice. Daniel consoled himself that he would be the first, warding off the closed-in feeling with this frantic activity.
He glanced at David, who sat with his back against the cool limestone, eyes closed. Their leader gave the impression that he hadn’t a care and could sleep through an earthquake. His apparent peace was the exact opposite of what Daniel was feeling now. How long did David expect to sit there doing nothing? What if Saul found Talya or his son? His heartbeat kicked up a notch as he envisioned the worst— Talya ravaged by enemy warriors. Surely not. These men hunting David down were fellow Israelites, not some foreign enemy.
He stopped midstride and swung around on his heel, turning back toward the cave’s mouth. There had to be something he could do—anything to dispel the tension knotting every muscle, worrying every thought. If he crept closer to the entrance, perhaps he could get an idea of what they were up against. It had been hours since they’d last heard from a lookout. What if Saul had captured them? Why wasn’t David allowing him to take a turn? Maybe David’s trust wasn’t so certain after all.
The thought depressed him even as a new determination to do something, to find out what was going on, pressed in on him. He reached the limit of the lamp’s shadowed light and paused, then felt along the wall of the cave. He followed the natural bend and moved toward the late afternoon light coming through the opening. Squinting, he stopped and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, then continued forward slowly, one foot in front of the other, keeping his head tilted, listening.
A heavy groan made him pause. Silence met his ear, then more indecipherable sounds. An animal? He crept closer. His eyes fully adjusted to the darkness now, and the sight before him stopped him cold. There hunched on a sitting stone was the king of Israel, his back to Daniel, his robe splayed out around him, his crown slightly askew as he rocked back and forth, grunting. What providence was this? The man was close enough to touch with no one guarding him.
Giddy laughter bubbled to Daniel’s lips, but he clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle the sound that would give him away. Surely God was smiling on David. He had given his enemy into his hand! How easy it would be to thrust a dagger into the king’s side or lop that crowned head from his shoulders and take it to David. The thought made his heart thud harder and his knees almost weak.
It would be easy . . . but what if David thought otherwise? No, first he would bring the news to the men and convince David that God was the one who had delivered Saul into David’s hands. Then he would gladly thrust a blade into the old king’s side. And place Saul’s crown on David’s head.
“David!” A touch on David’s arm startled him awake. He looked up, senses on instant high alert, to meet Daniel’s excited expression. “The king is here,” he whispered, bending low, “at the mouth of the cave, without a guard, trying to relieve himself.”
Saul was here? Unguarded? Impossible. David rubbed his eyes and pushed to his feet. The other men crowded close. One look into their eager faces told David they had heard.
“This is the day of which the Lord spoke when He said to you He would deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do what seems good to you,” Benaiah said, one hand touching the hilt of his dagger.
“It’s a
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