2 Samuel 2:1-32
1 And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.
5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.
6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.
8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host,a took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
11 And the timeb that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met togetherc by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim,d which is in Gibeon.
17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foote as a wild roe.
19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.
21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour.f But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.
28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.
30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.
31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
2 Samuel 2:12. Mahanaim. See Genesis 32:2.
2 Samuel 2:14. Abner said to Joab, &c. He did this in confidence that his twelve men would conquer, and make Joab's army flee. Why had he not challenged Joab to single combat?
2 Samuel 2:16. Helkath-hazzurim. Ager robustorum, the field of the strong or the brave. The LXX, the field of the sword.
REFLECTIONS.
Having traced the steps of David through seven years of painful exile, we now come to view him seven years as king of Judah. Herein the Lord made him the more strikingly a figure of Jesus Christ. So St. Paul has noticed when he says, Howbeit, we see not yet all things put under him.
David, before he dared to remove from the ashes of Ziklag, consulted the Lord; and he who stands in the divine counsel, stands on the rock of ages. He may then laugh at the storm, and smile to see the tempests exhaust their feeble rage. Let every man therefore learn, before he takes any step in life, carefully to consult the Lord by fervent and humble prayer.
When David removed to the most ancient and noble city of Hebron, he removed with all his friends, the faithful companions of all his exiles and afflictions. So they who have followed the Son of man in the regeneration and borne the cross, shall sit on thrones and wear the crown. God is not unrighteous to forget their work of faith and labour of love.
But while we admire David's prudence, we have to reproach Abner's folly; a folly which in the issue cost him his life. This man through a principle of family pride, anointed Ishbosheth in Mahanaim, wishful no doubt to be himself the real king, while his nephew had the name. They who oppose the Lord's work and counsel may do much harm, and God for a time may suffer them to succeed, that he may accomplish his work in their correction, and in the punishment of the wicked. Abner's crime was here great against the Lord and against David.
We are next led to view the great coolness and confidence of David. He precipitated not his country into a civil war. He was confident that the God of his anointing, who had brought him from the desert to the throne of Judah, would give him the hearts of all the tribes; he therefore sought to make his own people happy and secure. But though he was peaceful, he was not supine. Hearing after two years, that Abner had crossed the Jordan, and was come to Gibeon, he sent Joab to meet him, intending no doubt to follow after raising the army. Abner, finding himself opposed, and being too confident in himself and in his men, proposed to decide the dispute by a single combat of twelve picked men on each side. Here the strength, the skill and courage of each were so equal, that the whole twenty four fell together in the peaceful arms of death. What a wanton waste of the best men in Israel! How faulty was Abner to propose, and Joab to accept the challenge. On the subject of duelling, it was observed, that we had few instances of this horrid practice for several years after the hanging of Major; and if a contemptible hangman, standing with a halter in his hand, can frighten our high-spirited duelists into peace, we have now proof sufficient that all their boasted courage was nothing but a frantic sense of honour, and utterly unconnected with the coolness and wisdom ever characteristic of a heroic soul.
The fall of Asahel, brother of Joab, should teach all young people modesty, and not to presume too much on the liberal endowments of nature. This youth, rising by David to be a prince, gloried no doubt in being the swiftest man in Israel; and it would have been happy had he been equally aware, that he was not the most valiant man in Israel. How fairly did Abner caution him, and even condescended to repeat that caution. Asahel therefore fell in lawful war: his blood was on his own head, because of his presumption. Many who are too proud of their personal accomplishments, have met with death by presuming too much on their own abilities.
Abner having gained a height, procured a cessation of hostilities, and repassed the Jordan: and happy if he had never crossed it to molest David. Those who meddle with the Lord's anointed are sure soon or late to receive the reward of their folly. Abner retired in chagrin and shame. Joab justly reproached him with all the blood shed on that occasion. ‘If thou hadst not said what thou didst say in the morning, let the young men rise up and play before us; surely the people had gone away every man from his brother. My sole wish was to oblige thee to return.' Abner that day shed much innocent blood, and God expiated it by the blood of Abner.