2 Samuel 3: 1 – 39
Who’s really running this show
3 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. 2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; 4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron. 6 Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul. 7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? 9 May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the LORD has sworn to him— 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. 12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.” 13 And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 So David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned. 17 Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time 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 the hand of all their enemies.’ ” 19 And Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So 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 Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. 22 At that moment 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 troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” 24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? 25 Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.” 26 And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. 27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. 32 So 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 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34 Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.” Then all the people wept over him again. 35 And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” 36 Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. 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 And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The LORD shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
Who's Really Running the Show?
I have been having a nagging intuition lately that something is not quite right about those who are running our country. I am suggesting there is something wrong with these people. Who are these people reporting to behind the scene? I know it surely isn’t to the people they represent? Why do they want those jobs in the first place?
I mean, there's no doubt that they fill the desks in session especially when the cameras are on but are they really concerned about our nation? How bad is it around our country that these same people keep getting re-elected? Is everyone in their voting areas kept in the dark and do not know what damage these people are really doing to our future generations?
I believe our Holy Father Yahweh gave wisdom and insight in creating this country. They set up three branches of government so one would not rise to the forefront and take over as supreme leaders. We have the Executive (President), Legislative (congress), and Judicial (courts). Each section is to work in harmony with the other without interfering with the other. Being implants from appointments men and women are making decisions that are really not their job to do so.
When I observe many of these elected officials they seem lost at times. They seem to be reacting to ideas about which they do not really have a clue. They vote for bills without really reading them. They add on benefits to their cronies on needed bills just for their votes. They leave the writing of new policies to radical community action groups. They come into their offices with the lies that they will do something beneficial for the country and leave office having only done something beneficial to their own lives. They come in poor and leave as millionaires.
The more I watch them, the more I see people who appear to be the "face" of some other entity or group. They seem like ‘front men and women’. And it is becoming clear that their strings are being pulled by someone else. We cannot leave our heads in the sand. There is a shadow government. These people do not appear to be the person in command of the ship of state.
I know all this may sound crazy but, really, when you look and hear these people without the idolatry and media worship, do they really look like they know what they are doing? Sadly, doing a lot of the talking ones look illiterate. The more they talk, sadly the more their words seem empty of content and are later proved to be outright lies and no one calls them to task? Platitudes about America and the American people which, when they say them, simply do not ring true. In most cases you will see just the opposite is going on.
For us who believe that we are living in the last days and that we can cross reference what is happening in the world with the book of Revelation in our bibles it is hard to witness people doing this to our country. This is why we need to pray for our country and our leaders as we are instructed in the book of 2 Chronicles 7: 14, “14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Those other people behind the curtain who have the money and influence have backgrounds that are so radical that their policies would never be allowed to see the light of day. However, they have learned to blend in with other government agencies and band together to be effective to radically change the nation. These people have deeply ingrained commitments to changing the system and have been actively trying to do so for some time.
Too much of what is going on does not make sense here.
So, slowly but surely, I am becoming convinced that it is not many of our congress, city, and local representatives who are running the show. They have been captured by a group of people who use them as fronts.
In our current study we see the same thing going on in Israel. A son of Saul by the name of Ishbosheth has been declared as king by his father’s supposedly faithful general by the name of Abner.
For us it is a no brainer who is really running the show. It is the man supposedly behind the scene – Abner. He is the one who is making all the decisions. Will we see that he will go against Saul’s son and make a deal with David to give him the total kingship.
As we go through this chapter please notice that our Great and Holy Adoni Yahweh God Is not brought into counsel. That is not good and as we will find out this failure will cause some mighty big problems. Yet all in all we will witness the Great Love and Care our Holy Master has for His anointed David and ultimately things will turn out properly. As the scripture reveals in the book of Romans chapter 8, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
There would appear to have been constant antagonism between Judah and Israel from the moment when David was made King of Judah, and the result was that while David and his house continued to grow in power, the house of Saul became weaker and weaker, until in the end it was dominated by one man, Abner, Saul’s cousin and former general. This probably does not indicate continuing warfare. Apart from the one incursion above which for Israel had been a disaster, which had taken place once Abner had made the house of Saul safe from Israel’s internal wrangling, Israel were in no position to make war on David. And David, in his usual manner, was seemingly happy to wait for YHWH to decide when he should make his next move. Indeed one of the reasons why the house of Saul grew so weak would be precisely because it was involved in these internal Israelite squabbles, with the result that Abner had to take control with a firm hand and assert his authority. David on the other hand was meanwhile prospering, marrying well and producing six fine sons, which the writer clearly saw as indicating his overall wellbeing and prosperity.
David’s growth in strength is thus illustrated in terms of his son-producing wives, for sons were always seen as making a man’s house strong. The marriages of people like David usually had political aims. His first two wives had firmly established his position in Judah and as a man of influence and great wealth. His third resulted in a treaty relationship with Talmai, the king of Geshur, a city in Syria, north east of Bashan (2 Samuel 15.8). We know little about the others, but we need not doubt their importance in his plans.
3 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
As already mentioned the antagonism probably did not express itself in continual warfare in view of Israel’s weak condition. It rather resulted in non-recognition of each other’s positions and an attitude of opposition to each other’s claims. As we have seen in chapter 2 Israel’s one failed attempt at warfare came when Abner thought that he had established Ish-bosheth’s position firmly, and as we know, it resulted in dismal failure, simply because Abner had underestimated David’s power.
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; 4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
The double emphasis on the fact that David had six sons in Hebron is clearly intended to demonstrate how God was prospering him, and how strong he was becoming. His time in Hebron was to be seen as one of growth and blessing. Later we will learn of further sons born to him in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5.13-16).
6 Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.
One result of the continual antagonism between the two houses and the resulting weakness that it brought to the house of Saul was that Abner was able to establish his own position.
While David’s strengthening position is seen by the writer in terms of his wives and sons, Abner and Ish-bosheth are seen as falling out over Abner’s association with one of Saul’s former concubines. This may well have been an attempt by Abner to further strengthen his position in the house of Saul, for any children resulting from his relationship would be in line for the throne. And besides, to cohabit with a dead king’s concubines was the privilege of the heir so that his action could be a veiled claim to be Saul’s heir.
7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
We should probably see in this not just a simple, annoyed, private enquiry, but an official calling to account. This time Ish-bosheth considered that Abner had gone too far and was afraid of what it might mean.
8 Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman? 9 May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the LORD has sworn to him—
Abner was taken aback and furious at Ish-bosheth daring to confront him. He was clearly very proud of his loyalty to Saul’s house (even though he was the gainer by it) and was angry that Ish-bosheth should throw doubt on it. He may also have felt that Ish-bosheth was beginning to ‘show his teeth’. So he asked whether Ish-bosheth really thought that he was less trustworthy than David. His real opinion of David and of Judah is made clear by his words, ‘Am I a dog’s head of Judah?’. He had no doubt been present when David had likened himself to a dead dog when he spoke to Saul while in the Wilderness (1 Samuel 24.14), and here he made it quite clear that he considered it a good description of David. Or it may be that the Israelites were simply in the habit of scathingly describing the men of Judah as ‘dogs’ or ‘dogs’ heads’.
He then stressed how, rather than trying to dethrone Ish-bosheth, (as he saw David as wishing to do), he had rather shown kindness to him and to all Saul’s relations, and had not, as he could have done, delivered them into the hands of David. And now Ish-bosheth was chiding him simply because of a woman? He saw it as totally unacceptable. Then in his anger he swore that he would do for David just as YHWH had sworn to him, make him king over all Israel. There is an indication here that he was aware that in maintaining Ish-bosheth as king he was going against the will of Yahweh. He was admitting that he knew what Yahweh really wanted, and had fought against it.
10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
What was Yahweh’s purpose for David? It was that He would transfer the kingship of Israel from the house of Saul to the house of David and set up David as king over all Israel and Judah, ‘from Dan to Beersheba’. Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south, in the Negeb, were always seen as the northern and southern limits to the land. The phrase was thus indicating the whole land (compare 1 Samuel 3.20). It is an indication that with all their tribal divisions Israel/Judah were in another way seen as potentially one whole.
11 And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
The silence of Ish-bosheth at this juncture spoke volumes. Having plucked up the courage to challenge Abner (there had probably been much comment in the court) it demonstrated that he was so terrified of Abner that he dared do nothing more. It made him fully aware that he was powerless to do anything to prevent Abner doing precisely what he wanted. So much for his position as king of Israel.
12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”
Abner should have recognized that in fact he had won and have left things as they were, yet he carried out his threat. This seems to suggest that he had already been considering betraying Ish-bosheth to David and finally made this his excuse. Thus, he sent messengers to David to speak on his behalf, asking whose the land of Israel was? The implication was that it was ‘open to grabs’. Then he promised that if David would enter a league with him he would use all his power and authority to bring all Israel to David’s feet.
13 And David said, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.”
Please take notice that David did not say, ‘let me consult with my God Yahweh.’ David said that he considered the proposal was a good one, and agreed to make a deal with Abner, but only if an add on condition would be agreed to and that requirement was that his previous wife Michal, the daughter of Saul, be given up to him. Until that had happened he would not meet Abner face to face.
His demand was also significant because if Michal was delivered up to him as his true wife, all would know that he was therefore seen by Abner as the true heir of Saul. It would be reuniting him to the house of Saul in a position of privilege as the acknowledged son-in-law of Saul.
14 So David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
We must stop and think about a few things that are possibly going on here. What is Abner pulling? He is using Ishbosheth’s name in correspondence while doing all the negotiations with David? Why would David send messengers to him? How much more deceit was Abner doing? Would David just have thought that Isbosheth was stepping down as king and giving his rule to David? David had said to Abner that a deal was only to be made when Abner returned his first wife to him? Why was Isbosheth involved with at all? Was David sending a threatening message to on his own initiative to Ishbosheth demanding the return of Michal claiming his father had betrothed her to him for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, a marriage gift that had never been returned to him. It was an indication of David’s awareness of the superiority of his army that he made the demand, for it would fly in the face of Ishbosheth’s own kingship. If Ishbosheth did not confirm with this directive would he face David’s wrath. I do not think this is so because we will see some low life assassinate the king and bring his head to David. As a reward to these evil men David had them killed.
15 And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.
Weather it was Ishbosheth’s awareness of his own weakness that he meekly submitted to David as he had to Abner or Abner making the orders on behalf of Isbosheth the order was given, and Michal was taken from her second husband, Paltiel, the son of and sent her to David.
16 Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind her. So, Abner said to him, “Go, return!” And he returned.
Paltiel was heartbroken at losing his wife, and tearfully followed her all the way to Bahurim, until Abner told him to return home. Abner gave him an offer he could not refuse.
In this passage we have an account of double treachery. First we have portrayed the treachery of Abner who, having installed Ishbosheth as king, callously betrayed him and sought to make Israel turn to David, and then the treachery of Joab who equally callously betrayed David behind his back and called on Abner to return on the pretense that David wanted to see him again, simply in order that he might assassinate him, and that in the face of the fact that he was covered by David’s promise of safe conduct.
17 Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time 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 the hand of all their enemies.’”
Having decided that he had had enough of Ishbosheth, Abner treacherously turned his attention to the task of supplanting him. This tends to reveal that his pretended loyalty to the house of Saul had been a sham. With Saul dead and Ishbosheth seemingly recalcitrant, all his attention was now clearly on how he could revenge himself against Ishbosheth and achieve the highest status for himself. He might have considered that being commander of the combined forces of Israel and Judah, which he would demand in return for the support that he gave, offered him a much better opportunity for glory and wealth than being the commander of a relatively weak Israel. So, he sent communications to the elders of Israel suggesting to them that as they had always really wanted David as king over them, now was the time to act to bring it about. For, he pointed out, as they all knew, that was what Yahweh had promised.
19 And Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.
We might have seen the differentiation between Israel and Benjamin here as simply indicating Abner’s close associations with that tribe because it was the tribe of his and Saul’s family were it not for the fact that later, at the time of the division of the kingdoms, Benjamin will side with Judah (1 Kings 12.21). This therefore suggest that the warriors from Benjamin, who were renowned as fierce and skilled fighters, had a proud spirit of independence and, in a similar way to Judah, did not like just being lumped in with ‘all Israel’. Abner, who was well aware of this, therefore negotiated with them separately, and pointed out how all the other tribes felt. Then having established what he saw as a satisfactory position he sought out David in Hebron. As far as he was concerned he had successfully staged a treacherous coup against Ishbosheth.
20 So 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.
Whatever David thought privately about Abner’s behavior he was wise enough to recognize that he was the only one who was running things for Israel, and that without him Ishbosheth’s position would not exist. Thus, he the more readily entered into negotiations with him. Unlike Abner he owed nothing to Ishbosheth who was still in a state of ‘non-recognition’ towards him..
So, on Abner arriving with twenty men, no doubt already having been given the promise of safe conduct, David welcomed them and made a feast for them. As both were aware, such hospitality was the guarantee of peaceful intent. To have eaten together if there had been any intentions of hostilities, would have been contrary to the recognized etiquette obtaining among powerful leaders, and would have been something which was treated very seriously and seen as disgraceful.
21 Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So, David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
The result of their negotiations was that Abner promised that he would go and gather all Israel together so that they could come to David with a view to making a covenant with him, a covenant which would include his appointment as king over them. We are not told what concessions were made to Abner, but it seems very probable that he was in turn assured that he would be made commander of the joint forces. This is not certain, however, for David’s present commander was ‘family’, and family was often the safest option as far as loyalty was concerned. On the other hand, David was becoming against Joab. David felt he could do better in replacing his loyal servant and relative.
22 At that moment 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.
Meanwhile David’s nephew and general Joab had been away on a raiding expedition with David’s men, and they now arrived back bringing a great amount of spoils . But it was too late for them to be able to meet up with Abner, for Abner was no longer there having been sent off by David with a guarantee of safe conduct.
23 When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
On their arrival someone informed Joab of Abner’s visit and of the fact that he had been sent away with the guarantee of safe conduct. We do not know how much else they would tell him for they would probably not have been privy to the king’s negotiations, but we can be sure that Joab would have recognized that it must have been to do with Israel and Judah coming to terms, and he would no doubt also have had his spies in crucial places. But he was also a very suspicious man who saw others (especially generals) as being like himself, and thus to his mind any approach by Abner could only really have been to sound out Judah’s strength. After all, the last time that he had spoken to him was when Abner had come to attack David and all his followers. Why then should he think that his attitude had changed? Thinking in terms of how he would have thought himself he would have considered that Abner was scheming for another attack.
24 Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? 25 Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
So, seeing himself as a little more observant than his pious uncle David, he came to the king and asked him what he had done. Here he had had Abner in his power and he had sent him away with safe conduct, so that how he was out of reach. That was foolish. Was he not aware that Abner’s real reason for coming had been to sound out his defense’s? Did he not realize that on his visit the experienced Abner would have picked up a lot of useful information about both their strong and weak points?
We must assume that David told him at least a little of the reason for Abner’s visit, but the suspicious Joab was not convinced (or at least pretended not to be) as we can tell from his next step. If David was foolish enough to let the fish slip out of the net, Abner would discover that Joab wasn’t as guidable.
I worked for a similar leader. He had made friendship with a man I knew was just like Abner. I warned him what this man was trying to pull, and I was told to mind my own business. Unlike Joab I did exactly as I was told. Later, all the garbage came down just as I had warned.
26 And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.
So as soon as he had come out from his audience with David, he sent messengers after Abner calling on him to return. These messengers caught up with Abner and his men at the cistern of Sirah. Abner was clearly in no hurry and he and his men were no doubt taking advantage of the opportunity to replenish their water supplies.
We have to remember here that the desire and responsibility of relatives for blood revenge when a member of the family was killed. David understood this requirement of family responsibilities and with the fact that Joab was his relative who was required to repay Abner for his murder of his brother. And here Asahel had been deliberately slain by an identified person during a war between ‘brothers’. It is quite apparent from the story that Joab and Abishai, Asahel’s brothers, considered it their duty to kill Abner.
The specific detailed rules concerning blood vengeance are not clear and would indeed have been seen differently by different people, so that while Abner probably considered that he had been perfectly justified in slaying a man whose sole intent had been to kill him after a battle, Joab clearly did not see it in that way. Furthermore, the fact that Joab escaped punishment for slaying Abner suggests that most agreed with him. Indeed, Abner himself had recognized that that might be so (2.22), but was probably confident that his safe conduct protected him, especially as Hebron was a City of Refuge. Joab, on the other hand, no doubt argued that his responsibility as the brother of the person who had been killed overrode any safe conduct, because while the safe conduct provided protection politically, it did not provide protection in a matter of personal, family vengeance. It will also be noted that he slew Abner while he was ‘in the midst of the gate’, that is, before he had entered the City of Refuge. It was no doubt because he had these reasons that he was able to escape direct punishment, however angry David was. No one living in that day could have denied the right of blood vengeance. It was too firmly rooted in society. That was why David put Joab’s punishment in Yahweh’s hands for a time being but would hold onto his dislike of his nephew the rest of his life and try to get rid of him.
27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
When Abner returned to Hebron, believing that David wished to have further consultation, he was met outside the city by Joab who drew him into the area within the gate purportedly to speak to him privately. He had no thought that Joab intended him harm. As Joab was aware it was not until he was through the gate that he could have claimed that he was protected by it being a City of Refuge. Thus, he slew him ‘in the midst of the gate’. Note the emphasis on the fact that it was blood vengeance. It was ‘for the blood of Asahel his brother’. Abner had been a marked man from the moment that he had done it.
28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
David was not at all pleased. While he no doubt recognized that Joab had had the right to blood revenge he clearly considered that he should have observed the safe conduct that he had given to Abner so as not to put him in a difficult position. David was at this point only thinking of himself and did not feel any guilt that he did not stand up for his own relative and servant who did what he felt was his duty.
David recognized that Joab’s act could put him in a very bad light with the elders of Israel. So, he openly threw Joab under the bus and declared his own freedom, and the freedom of his kingship and called for Yahweh’s judgment on Joab and his house.
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
It is interesting that we read that Joab took Abner aside and killed him but here we learn from our Precious Holy Spirit that Joab’s brother had some involvement also. The mention of Abishai probably indicates that he had been aware of Joab’s plan and had not only agreed with it but had some play in the outcome. Remember that Abner was not alone he had brought with him some additional men so perhaps Abishai and some additional soldiers of Judah had to deal with Abner’s men which allowed Joab to separately deal with Abner.
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin.
David now called on Joab and all the people who were with him to ritually tear their clothes, put on sackcloth and act as mourners before Abner’s coffin. They were to show outward respect and grief at the great man’s death and so indicate that the death had not been official policy.
This mourning was not excluded for Joab because David was ensuring by it that it was being officially recognized before all the Israelites that Joab had slain Abner, not out of malice, but out of loyalty to his own family and its honor. Joab had simply done what most of them would have seen themselves as called upon to do (In that sense it had been true that ‘Abner died as a fool dies’. He knew the custom). For in those days it was incumbent on someone to avenge the violent death of a close relative by slaying the one who had done it.
32 So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
Abner was thus buried in Hebron, and the king then wept loudly over his grave. Loud weeping was an essential mark of respect at a funeral.
33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34 Your hands were not bound nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.” Then all the people wept over him again.
David then composed and rendered a lamentation over Abner. The reference to Abner ‘dying as a fool dies’ may well have had in mind that he should have been more wary of Joab. The suggestion is that he died because he was not alert and ready to defend himself when he should have been. His very greatness may well have made him careless when, knowing Joab, he should have known that Joab would not rest until he was dead. Certainly, it indicates that he should have been more aware and not so trusting. The remainder of the lamentation then indicates that he was caught napping. He had not been bound or fettered so that he could not defend himself. Then he might have been excused. Rather he had fallen prey to evil men whom he had unwisely trusted, even when he had had his sword at his side. The suggestion is that he had too easily discounted Joab. David does not specifically call Joab and Abishai ‘workers of iniquity, but he gets very close to it and by it indicates his disapproval of what they had done.
35 And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!”
Once the funeral was over the people became concerned for David because he had not eaten all day. But when they tried to persuade him to eat he refused and swore that he would eat nothing until after sundown. It was out of respect for Abner. He was determined that all should see the genuineness of his mourning.
36 Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people.
All the people’ noted his actions and were pleased because it indicated the integrity of the king and his innocence of all charges of treachery. He had after all little to gain by it.
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner.
For that day all recognized, including the whole people of Israel, that it had not been the intention of David that Abner be slain. Indeed, the truth is that he had nothing at all to gain by it. But what is clear is to us is that by Abner’s death David was saved by Yahweh from being part of a coup that might well have caused great bitterness among many in Israel, and was especially saved from the charge that he had displaced the true heir of Saul.
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 And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The LORD shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
David then made clear his real feelings about the actions of Joab and Abishai. He emphasized what a great and princely man Abner had been, and how great therefore the evil had been in slaying him. He felt that in a sense it had even weakened him as king, because thereby he had lost a valuable and capable ally and an astute general. Furthermore, it accentuated the fact that a king in Israel could not just do whatever he wanted. However, he felt about things he had to obey the Laws and customs, even though he was the anointed king, and that even though sometimes they could be made use of by harsh men in order to achieve their ambitions within the Law. He was restricted to carrying out what was seen by all as just. And that meant that he could do nothing against Joab and Abishai because they had strictly adhered to the customs of the people even if they had ignored what they knew to be his desire.
The suggestion that Joab and Abishai, his sister’s sons, were ‘too hard’ for him indicated his disapproval of their merciless attitude. In his view they had failed to recognize that sometimes justice must be tempered by mercy. Nevertheless, what he also wanted them to recognize was that Yahweh, Who knows the hearts of all men, would judge men in terms of the hardness or otherwise of their hearts. There would be no such weakness in Him. Thus, he prayed that Yahweh would ‘reward the evildoer according to his wickedness’. He committed them to the judgment of Yahweh.
There is a warning to us all in this that in demanding our rights at all costs we too may well often simply be revealing our own wickedness and the unpleasant truth about ourselves.
