2 Sam. 2-3: “David Is Made King Over Judah, Then Civil War Breaks Out In Israel”

By

Jim Bomkamp

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1. INTRO:

1.1. In our last study, we looked at chapter 31 of 1 Samuel as well as chapter 1 of 2 Samuel.

1.1.1. We saw how that Saul and three of his sons, including Jonathan David’s best friend, were killed by the Philistines in battle.

1.1.2. We saw also how David sincerely mourned for Jonathan his friend as well as king Saul. David’s lamentation for these men we looked at in chapter 1 of 2 Samuel.

1.1.3. In that study, we then did a review of King Saul’s life.

1.2. In our study today, we are going to look at chapters 2 and 3 of 2 Samuel and how it comes to pass that David comes to be made king over the tribe of Judah and then how that Ishbosheth, the only surviving son of King Saul, is made to be king over all of the remaining tribes of Israel, and then, how that war breaks out between the house of David and the house of Saul.

2. VS 2:1-2 - “¹ Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” ² So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.” - David inquires of the Lord of where he and his men should go and is told to go up to Hebron

2.1. We saw in our previous chapter that King Saul had been slain in battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. David had been made aware of that fact by an Amalekite man who came to David with King Saul’s crown and bracelet and told David that he had killed the king after the Philistine archers had wounded the king and the king had requested to be killed knowing that the Philistines would torture him when they found him.

2.2. David we see here inquires of the Lord concerning His leading. Being healed of his backslidings had cured David of not inquiring of the Lord. In our study of chapter 28 of 1 Samuel we saw there that David had been restored to the Lord from backsliding after he had returned from the battle that the Philistines were entering in to fight with Israel and then upon getting back to his home town of Ziklag and discovering that the city had been burned and the women and children captured. David at that time repented and got his heart right with the Lord and then inquired of the Lord about what he should do, and we saw that he hadn’t inquired of the Lord prior to this in many months (ever since he decided to leave the land of Israel and go with his men and begin living in the land of the Philistines and serving the Philistine king). David now will not make any moves without first inquiring of the Lord.

2.3. David does not presume upon the Lord anymore in regard to the decisions and moves he makes. David had known for many years that he had been anointed to be the next king over Israel, however he knows also that it would be foolish to act in any way without first consulting the Lord.

2.4. As I read over this chapter, I believe that the biggest story is really what is not written in the chapter. We can imagine how that David could have acted like so many other leaders have done all throughout history upon the hearing of such news. We can imagine that David might have done many things at this point, none of which are listed in our chapter:

2.4.1. David could have immediately mustered his army to go and to kill off every last descendant of Saul’s to assure that there would be no one alive who would now try to vie for the kingdom.

2.4.2. David could have gathered his troops and mobilized them to go and to attack what he knew would be left of King Saul’s army after most of that army by now had surely strayed away to their homes.

2.4.3. David could have immediately moved to Israel with his men knowing that with King Saul removed there surely could be nothing that could get in his way to keep him from taking the throne.

2.4.4. David could have begun a political campaign. He could have sent some of his men to each of the 12 tribes and begun to bid them to come and accept as king the one whom the prophet Samuel had anointed to reign those many years ago, and then he could have begun the campaign circle himself.

2.4.5. Etc., etc.

2.5. David however would not make a move without first consulting the Lord, and he would make no power plays to force the kingdom into his hand. David had been brought to the end of himself, and his many trials he encountered during the period of his wanderings when the Lord was chastening him greatly ( many times directly because of his sin ) had taken all ambition from him.

2.5.1. It is imperative that we as Christians, especially those whom the Lord would raise up as leaders over his people, not be people with selfish ambitions. James wrote in Ja. 3:13-18, “¹³ Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

2.5.2. The Lord brings each of us as Christians through trials and difficulties just as He did with David until we are also to that place where it really doesn’t matter to us what the Lord does through our lives. If the Lord raises us up into fruitful and effective ministry and even leadership then so be it, but if we are called to serve in obscurity or even in the lowest position we are willing to accept that just as well. This is the attitude we all ought to have.

2.6. Let us take notice that every mention in these books of Samuel of the multiple wives of David ( as Abigail and Ahinoam are mentioned here ) is placed there by the Holy Spirit as a subtle reminder of the fact that David was not walking in obedience to the Lord as he should in taking multiple wives. We’ll talk about this more in a little bit…

3. VS 2:3-7 - “³ And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron. ⁴ Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” ⁵ David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed of the Lord because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him. ⁶ “Now may the Lord show lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. ⁷ “Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”” - David took his fighting men along with their families and moved to the city of Hebron and there the men of the Judah came and anointed David as king over them

3.1. There was a dividend gained in David’s sending of gifts of spoil from the recapture of all of his possessions in the city of Ziklag to the leaders in Judah, including the city of Hebron. These men of Judah now come and take David to be their king to rule over them.

3.2. The men of Hebron tell David of the good deed that the men of Jabesh-gilead performed in retrieving the bodies of King Saul and his sons and giving them a proper burial. Therefore, David sends these men a note of commendation for this good deed and promises to do good to them because of it. David then also hints that they should accept him as their king.

3.3. This phase of David’s life is the phase where there is a divided Israel. David is anointed to reign only over the tribe of Judah initially, and we will see in the next verses that there is a civil war in Israel that next breaks out as Ishbosheth, the only remaining son of King Saul, is placed as king over all of the tribes of Israel but Judah.

3.4. Notice here that having been anointed as king over the tribe of Judah that David does not resort to trying to manipulate or force any of the other tribes to come and accept him as king over them. David just lets them know that they are welcome to come to him and have him reign over them. David serves as a type of Jesus Christ then as Jesus also is one who never forces anyone’s will in serving Him. Jesus has invited all to come to Him for salvation and He will welcome all who come to Him, however He never forces Himself upon any man or woman.

4. VS 2:8-11 - “⁸ But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. ⁹ He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. ¹⁰ Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. ¹¹ The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.” - King Saul’s general Abner takes Saul’s only surviving son, Ishbosheth, and makes him king over all Israel but the tribe of Judah

4.1. This is a temporary schism that occurs between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel however it is the seed for the permanent formation of those kingdoms that will occur later during the reign of Rehoboam, King Solomon’s ( David’s son ) son .

4.2. In establishing Ishbosheth as king over Israel, Abner is certainly motivated by not wanting to lose his power and control over the nation as general which he had under King Saul.

4.3. It is a bit intriguing that it is mentioned here that Ishbosheth’s reign over the northern tribes lasted only 2 years whereas David’s rule over Judah lasted 7 years and 6 months.

4.3.1. Some have speculated that a possible answer for this has to do with Ishbosheth being made king sometime after David had begun to reign over Judah. Some mysteries we will have to wait to be solved when the Lord returns.

5. VS 2:12-17 - “¹² Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul. ¹³ And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. ¹⁴ Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” ¹⁵ So they arose and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. ¹⁶ Each one of them seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. ¹⁷ That day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.” - War breaks out between David’s fighting men and the army of Abner under Ishbosheth

5.1. Tension was everywhere in Israel as war was imminent between David’s fighting men and the army of Abner under Ishbosheth. Each army assembled opposite each other at the pool of Gibeon.

5.1.1. By the way, archeologists have discovered this pool in Israel.

5.1.2. The city of Gibeon was located in the territory of Benjamin not too far from Jericho and was the city whose men had come to Joshua after his victory over the city of Jericho and deceived him. They came wearing old worn out clothes and carrying stale bread, and they said that they had come a long distance to pay homage to him ( in reality they lived very nearby Jericho ) since they had heard such great things about him. They asked him for a covenant of peace between their peoples, and then got one. Joshua then relegated them to being slaves to the Israelites.

5.2. Abner suggests that the two army set up representative warriors to fight each other. Twelve warriors from each army then assemble and begin to fight each other. However, all 24 men are killed in the fighting. Then, both armies begin fighting each other, however the army of David begins to beat the army of Abner.

5.2.1. It is interesting to see here how David’s fighting men, this group that had been comprised of misfits that society didn’t want, now has become such a fierce fighting force, the best in the history of the nation of Israel.

5.3. Because of the fierceness of this battle, they named the place ‘Helkath-hazzurim’ which means “field of sword edges.”

5.4. We ought to take a minute here and look at Israel and notice a certain typology here. Israel was a nation that was fragmented between two kings, one who was God’s man and the other who was part of the regime that had been judged by God and removed from power. David as king serves as a type of Jesus Christ for God’s people who must choose who shall reign over them. The question is, “Shall we give up the throne to Jesus Christ to reign or shall we kick Him off of the throne and ourselves take control of certain areas of our life?”

5.4.1. Israel as a nation needed to gain the victory over her enemy the Philistines, however she shall only have victory when she has David as her king. In the same way, we as Christians shall live a life of futility and be enslaved to the lusts of our flesh until we get to the point that we make Jesus king over our heart and life. Our dilemma is that He must be king of all if He is to be king at all!

5.4.1.1. Jesus taught His disciples in Matt. 6:24 about how that they could not have two masters in their lives, “²⁴ “ No one can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one and love the other , or he will be devoted to one and despise the other . You cannot serve God and wealth.”

5.4.1.2. As one person once related this, “If Jesus isn’t Lord of all, then He isn’t lord at all!”

5.4.2. So many times we as Christians give the Lord most of the areas of our life, and just because we are holding back a few places here and there we think that we are going to have the Lord’s blessing in our life, however instead we just end up suffering heartache upon heartache and spin our wheels in serving the Lord.

5.4.2.1. This is exactly what has been the history of the nation of Israel. They as a people have suffered persecution and difficulty everywhere they have gone. The Old Testament is full of the judgments suffered by the nation. For their having rejected their Messiah when He came to them the nation was then overthrown and destroyed by Rome in 70 AD, just as Jesus had foretold would occur to them. Now, still rejecting their Messiah, all through the centuries since that time they have suffered more than any people in history. One Jew expressed what the Jews feel once by saying that because of the great persecutions and difficulties that they have experienced that they would rather not be God’s chosen people.

5.4.2.2. True blessing and fruitfulness however only come in our lives when we allow Jesus to rule our hearts as Lord over all of us.

6. VS 2:18-23 - “¹⁸ Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was as swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field. ¹⁹ Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn to the right or to the left from following Abner. ²⁰ Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” ²¹ So Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. ²² Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” ²³ However, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.” - Asahel runs after Abner and will not relent until Abner is forced to turn around and kill him with his spear

6.1. Asahel being a fast runner kept on pursuing after Abner, forcing a confrontation between the two, which ends with Abner killing Asahel. Abner warned Asahel twice to stop pursuing him or he would have to kill him, however Asahel forces this confrontation to occur and dies as a result.

6.2. Asahel might have been a fast runner, however he was no match for a great warrior in Abner.

7. VS 2:24-32 - “²⁴ But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. ²⁵ The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill. ²⁶ Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?” ²⁷ Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.” ²⁸ So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore. ²⁹ Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim. ³⁰ Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David’s servants besides Asahel were missing. ³¹ But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that three hundred and sixty men died. ³² And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron.” - Abner and Joab agree to cease their hostilities against each other

7.1. Joab and his men continue pursuing Abner and his men, and as the sun is going down, Abner and his men proceed to the top of a certain hill and he calls out to Joab and asks in essence if it is worth if for the two armies to continue to fight each other until none are left alive?

7.2. Joab agrees with Abner’s reasoning and decides to call off the battle blowing the trumpet to halt his men’s fighting.

7.3. Abner and his army and Joab and his army both head to their homes. Abner and his men crossed the Jordan and went to the trans-Jordan area and Joab and his men went back to Hebron.

7.4. In the fighting, Joab and his men lost only 20 men, including Asahel. Abner and his men lost 360 men.

7.5. On their return home, Joab and his men pick up the body of fallen Asahel and take it and bury it in his father’s tomb which was located in Bethlem.

8. VS 3:1-5 - “¹ Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually. ² Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; ³ and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; ⁴ and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; ⁵ and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.” - There was a long war between the house of David and the house of Saul and the house of David grew steadily stronger

8.1. The Lord in verse 1 is showing the favor which He had for the house of David, for David and his following were always growing stronger.

8.2. We see here though that the Holy Spirit reveals to us the sons that began to be born to David. The text reveals how that David was building for himself a harem of women. This of course was done against the law of Moses which forbid kings to accumulate for themselves either horses or wives ( Deut. 17:15-17).

8.3. David, you see, as soon as he is anointed as king, he begins to multiply wives to himself. Not satisfied just to have as wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal, David also has taken wives named:

8.3.1. Maacah.

8.3.1.1. She came as part of a political alliance between David and the king of Geshur, but this type of a marriage was forbidden in Deut. 7:3 and 17:17.

8.3.1.2. Oh, what great pain will Absalom, the son born to this woman, be to David later when he grows up and tries to take away David’s kingdom.

8.3.2. Haggith.

8.3.3. Abital.

8.3.4. Eglah.

8.4. We’ll see in 2 Sam. 5:13 that after David has moved his kingdom from Hebron to Jerusalem that he takes even more concubines and wives from the city of Jerusalem.

8.5. David was a man after God’s own heart, however he also allowed compromise into his life and as a result he continually suffered domestic strife in his life, for consider all of the calamity that occurred in David’s life as a result of this sin of accumulating wives which he allowed to be in his life:

8.5.1. Arthur Pink writes the following about the calamity that occurred in David’s life because of all of the wives that he multiplied to himself, “Few men have experienced such sore social and domestic trials as David did. Not only was he caused much trouble by political traitors in his kingdom, but what was far more painful, the members of his own family brought down heavy grief upon him. His favorite wife turned against him (6:20-22), his daughter Tamar was raped by her half brother (13:14), his son Ammon was murdered (13:28,29). His favorite son Absalom sought to wrest the kingdom from him, and then he was murdered (18:14). Before his death, another of his sons, Adonijah, sought to obtain the throne (1 Kings 1:5), and he too was murdered (1 Kings 2:24,25).”

8.5.1.1. Another consequence of David’s sin we must not forget has to do with how his son Solomon followed in his father’s footsteps and stumbled greatly. Solomon took hundreds of wives and then we read that in the latter part of his life he began to worship the gods of his many wives.

8.5.2. As God’s people, how painful can the consequences of our own sins be!

8.6. I just do want to mention that though there are a few of God’s men in the Old Testament who like David were polygamists that it was never God’s plan for men to have multiple wives. Jesus taught in Matt. 19:4,5 that from the beginning it was always the Father’s plan for a man to have only one wife.

9. VS 3:6-11 - “⁶ It came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. ⁷ Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” ⁸ Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman. ⁹ “May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as the Lord has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him, ¹⁰ to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.” ¹¹ And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he was afraid of him.” - Abner goes into Saul’s concubine and offends King Ishbosheth and when he is confonted by Ishbosheth about this he gets angry and decides to align himself instead with King David

9.1. In this day, the only man who was to go into a king’s concubine ( have sexual relations ) was a conquering king, therefore Abner was completely out of line by going into Saul’s concubine, for this was as if to say that he was trying to take the throne himself.

9.2. But, we see here that Abner’s anger at Ishbosheth was for questioning his loyalty when Ishbosheth confronted him about going in to Saul’s concubine. But, the Lord was in this confrontation by Ishbosheth for the Lord was working through Abner to take the kingdom away from Ishbosheth and give it to His man, a man after His own heart, David.

10. VS 3:13-16 - “¹² Then Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.” ¹³ He said, “Good! I will make a covenant with you, but I demand one thing of you, namely, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see me.” ¹⁴ So David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, to whom I was betrothed for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” ¹⁵ Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶ But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” So he returned.” - Abner asks David to make a covenant with him and that if David will do this he will then bring the remaining tribes to accept David as their king, and David agrees to this with one stipulation: that Abner return to him his wife Michal

10.1. The fact has already been stated that David was wrong for multiplying wives unto himself now that he had been made king at Hebron, and here we see that a stipulation for a covenant being made to Abner in which Abner would bring the rest of the tribes of Israel to David, was that Abner had to bring to David his first wife Michal, the daughter of king Saul whom Saul had later given as a wife to another man.

10.2. Ishbosheth brings Michal back to David it says here. This may be an indication that Ishbosheth is now trying to step down as king since Abner has betrayed him.

11. VS 3:17-21 - “¹⁷ Now Abner had consultation with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you. ¹⁸ “Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’ ” ¹⁹ Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. ²⁰ Then Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. ²¹ Abner said to David, “Let me arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.” - Abner gets the elders of Israel to agree to have David be king over them, then David makes a feast for Abner at Hebron, after which Abner is sent away

11.1. Abner appears to have realized through the difficulties that he faced supporting Ishbosheth that he had been resisting the Lord when he had tried to make Ishbosheth king over Israel. He also he has enough political clout in the land to rally all of the elders of Israel to embrace David as king over them.

11.1.1. Besides, by God’s doing David had steadily been gaining favor in the people’s sight ever since he first killed the giant, Goliath. They will now gladly receive David as their king.

12. VS 3:22-30 - “²² And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. ²³ When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” ²⁴ Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why then have you sent him away and he is already gone? ²⁵ “You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to learn of your going out and coming in and to find out all that you are doing.” ²⁶ When Joab came out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it. ²⁷ So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly so that he died on account of the blood of Asahel his brother. ²⁸ Afterward when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. ²⁹ “May it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a distaff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” ³⁰ So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.” - Joab finds out about Abner’s plan to unite Israel under David and accuses Joab of treachery before David, then Joab finds Abner and murders him

12.1. Joab accuses Abner of deception regarding his true motives for seeking to form an alliance with King David, however Joab is still seething towards Abner for his having killed Asahel, Joab’s brother. Joab will settle for nothing but blood revenge for the death of Asahel.

12.2. I would have you consider if in fact that Joab might also have another motive for wanting to kill Abner. Who was the only other general in Israel, and the man who was number two in command under Saul? It was Abner. Perhaps Joab was jealous of Abner and afraid Abner might supplant him as general over David’s army.

12.3. Hebron was a city of refuge and by the law Abner was free from revenge by Joab, the blood avenger for his brother Asahel, that is, as long as he remained in Hebron. However, Joab coaxes Abner to step outside of the gate of the city and then murders him in revenge for the death of his brother.

13. VS 3:31-39 - “³¹ Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and gird on sackcloth and lament before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. ³² Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. ³³ The king chanted a lament for Abner and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? ³⁴ “Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters; As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen.” And all the people wept again over him. ³⁵ Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” ³⁶ Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, just as everything the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷ So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the will of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. ³⁸ Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹ “I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil.”” - David grieves and laments the death of Abner

13.1. David refers to Abner here as dying like a fool, and he speaks of him this way because of the fact that it was very foolish for Abner to have stepped outside of the city gate of Hebron, the city of refuge where he would be safe from the blood avenger.

13.1.1. By the way, Jesus is our city of refuge and it is foolish for people to not take refuge in Him from the penalty of their sins ( the wages of sin is death ) and choose instead to die in the city gate.

13.2. David’s sincere grieving and lamenting the death of Abner was used by the Lord to unify the nation under David as king, as the people realized by this that David hadn’t orchestrated Abner’s death.

13.3. David asks the Lord to repay Joab for the murder of Abner, and we will see later in the study of this book how that Joab eventually does pay for this murder with his own life.

14. CONCLUSIONS:

14.1. What an encouragement it is for us to see David at hearing of the death of King Saul not try to manipulate his circumstances in any way to make himself be recognized as king over Israel, but just inquire of the Lord about what he is to do and then after he has moved to Hebron and been anointed as king over Judah, just welcoming all who will accept him as their king. May we today likewise rid ourselves of all selfish ambition and leave our life completely in the Lord’s hands to do with us whatever He desires.

14.2. As we see the nation of Israel divided over who will rule over them, divided between serving two kings, and yet suffering all the while because they will only have victory over their enemy the Philistines when they unite themselves together under one king, under God’s man, may we today too realize how we must make Jesus to be Lord over us, and crown Him to be king over our life. Jesus will never settle for less than lordship over our lives, and it is truly only those who will know Jesus as their king who shall also know Him as their Savior for all eternity.

14.2.1. In 1 Kings 18:21, when Elijah was living in an Israel that was given over to idolatry, he gathered the people together and told them to choose between who they would serve, whether Baal or the Lord, as it is written “²¹ Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.”

14.2.2. No man can serve two masters, as Jesus taught, who shall you serve today? Will you join with me and serve the Lord and Him alone, giving full allegiance to Him?

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