184 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

he did not go to thetown. The history of David is very
interesting, and much may be learned from it 5 but we
must study it at another time. We are merely going
over the battles, and cannot enter into the details of his
dangers and escapes.

Johnnie. You might tell us about one or two of them
though, grandfather, just now.

Grandfather. Well, I may say a little about them.
After David left Keilah he staid in a wood in the wilder-
ness of Ziph. The Ziphites informed Saul of this, who
greatly praised their conduct, and followed them with his
men. David tried to flee, but that was not easy. The
king’s army closely pursued him. When he was on the
one side of a mountain, they were on the other, and were
beginning to put in execution a plan for surrounding his
little band. At this critical moment a messenger came
to Saul, saying, “ Haste thee, and come, for the Philis-
tines have invaded the land.” This caused Saul to
abandon the pursuit. We are told nothing of his en-
counter with the Philistines. It appears to be recorded
only to show the way by which David escaped. The
Philistines intended no good to him in invading the land,
and yet he was the better for it. This teaches us that if
we put our trust in God, he can make even those who hate
us labour for our good. When Saul returned from his
engagement with the Philistines, he again pursued David,
who, with his men, hid in a cave among the rocks.
Into the same cave Saul went, lay down, and fell asleep.
The men of David urged him to kill his enemy. Here