He found a refuge for his parents with the king of Moab, and then, at a warning of danger from a prophet of the Lord, he fled from his hiding place to the forest of Hareth. The experience through which David was passing was not unnecessary or fruitless. God was giving him a course of discipline to fit him to become a wise general as well as a just and merciful king. With his band of fugitives he was gaining a preparation to take up the work that Saul, because of his murderous passion and blind indiscretion, was becoming wholly unfitted to do. Men cannot depart from the counsel of God and still retain that calmness and wisdom which will enable them to act with justice and discretion. There is no insanity so dreadful, so hopeless, as that of following human wisdom, unguided by the wisdom of God.

Han skaffede sine forældre et opholdssted hos kongen af Moab, og da Herrens profet havde advaret ham om, at der var fare på færde, forlod han sit skjulested og flygtede til Heretskoven. Davids oplevelser i denne tid var ikke uden betydning. Gud lod ham gå i en hård skole for at gøre ham skikket til at blive en klog general og en retfærdig og nådig konge. Mens han levede sammen med de mennesker, der havde opsøgt ham, høstede han erfaringer, som ville blive ham til hjælp, når han skulle optage den gerning, som Saul var blevet fuldstændig uegnet til at varetage på grund af sit dødelige raseri og sin hensynsløse optræden. Mennesker kan ikke bibeholde den ro og visdom, som er nødvendig for at kunne optræde retfærdigt og taktfuldt, efter at de har forkastet Gud som deres rådgiver. Det er frygteligt, håbløst, ja, fuldstændig vanvittigt at stole på menneskelig visdom og lade Guds visdom ude af betragtning.