Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
So David is sort of chiding Abner the chief general of Saul, saying, "Hey you know your job is to guard the king, and you aren't doing a good job. You ought to be put to death. Someone came in to destroy the king, and you were just sound asleep. Look where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water."