Dovid HaMelech and the Three Mighty Men

Dovid HaMelech was fighting the Philistines. A halachic question arose whether his army was permitted to destroy an individual’s property to save the lives of his men. The Philistines were taking cover in a privately owned field. Dovid HaMelech wanted to destroy the field and its produce. He was unsure whether or not he was permitted to do so. (This interpretation of the Gemara is preferred by the Raavad.) He lamented the fact that due to his proximity to his enemies, he was unable to seek guidance from the Sanhedrin.

Unbelievably, Dovid HaMelech expressed out loud a related question that was bothering him. Suppose someone lights a fire on his own property and it spreads to his neighbor’s property. The fire consumes his neighbor’s haystack. It is clear that the igniter is responsible for the damages caused to the haystack, but must he pay for items the owner hid in there as well? The owner may have hidden his tools in the haystack to prevent thievery, while at the same time enabling easy access. According to Tosfos, this query was not in any way relevant to his dangerous predicament. But what else would Dovid HaMelech be doing in the middle of a war besides having Torah discussions?