One would expect that David would see that the way was open for him to be crowned king at the earliest opportunity, but his first move was to inquire of The LORD (v1-4). David sought The LORD as to whether and where he should go. It could have been dangerous to go into the territory where Saul’s followers were, so he wanted The LORD’s guidance. He was the anointed king but that didn’t mean he could step into danger.
“In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The LORD said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered. So, David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam …. and Abigail…. David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.” (v1-4)
David, Anointed King Over Judah, did what Saul failed to do. He sought God. This was a key to success in David’s life. He didn’t always do it but, he usually inquired of the LORD. David wanted more than God’s blessing on his plans; he wanted to be right in the middle of God’s plan. Unlike Saul, who had a big problem that God did not answer him, the heavens were like brass to him. This was because of his disobedience, God answered David.
How vital it is for us to seek God’s leading whoever we are and whatever our position. We can trust in our own confidence but that could be fatal.
Fifteen years have passed since he was anointed by Samuel. The LORD told him he could go and to go Hebron. So, he went with his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. Note also that he took his 600 loyal men and their wives and families, and they settled in the Hebron and its towns. Then (v4) the men of Judah came and anointed him king over the tribe of Judah. That was only one tribe. He could have insisted that it wasn’t sufficient, but he appears to be satisfied thus far.
David did not seize the throne, after all he could have done and marched in as his right. After all he had been anointed king (1 Samuel 16) over Israel, but it was the men of Judah who came to him. It was their official recognition of him as their king. He knew it was better to let God raise him up than to seek his own advancement. That is a lesson for us – I’ve said it before, but it needs repeating, and we need a constant reminder that we should “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto us.”
One of the first things David did was to show gratitude to those who had done good to Saul. He had been told that the men of Jabesh Gilead had taken Saul’s body off the wall and given it a proper burial. (v4-7) He sent messengers to bless them for their kindness and courage towards Saul and his sons. He promised them kindness. He had become king now and he could have had other things to do but he took the time to remember the kindness of the men of Jabesh Gilead and not only that but their kindness to the man who had hounded him almost to death.
Meanwhile, Abner (the son of Ner), Saul’s cousin (1 Samuel 14:50) and commander of Saul’s army, made 40-year-old Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel (v8-11). He reigned there two years. Evidently there was still animosity, and the followers of Saul did not recognize David as their king. Abner is trying to hang on to the last vestiges of Saul and keep his own position in the bargain, and it seemed that Abner was pulling the strings. So, we have a divided kingdom. For two years David allowed Ishbosheth to reign over most of Israel. These two years showed David’s remarkable patience and trust in God. Ishbosheth was not the LORD’s anointed, and David seemed to have every right to crush this man who stood in his way. Yet out of trust in the LORD and respect for Saul’s memory, David waited. In 1 Chronicles 8:33 Ishbosheth is referred to as Esh-Baal.
However, the tribe of Judah were loyal to David, and he reigned in Hebron seven and a half years. For the first two years of this time, he ruled over Judah alone and Ishbosheth (probably a puppet of Abner as we shall see in chapter 3) ruled the rest of Israel.
David did not, as he could have done, force his reign on Israel – and we are reminded that Jesus will not force His reign on mankind, but there is coming a day when every knee will bow to Him.
There was war between the houses of David and Saul (v12-17). Abner led the troops of Saul’s son Ishbosheth and Joab led David’s troops, and they met on either side of the pool of Gibeon. Joab and his brothers Abishai, and Asahel were David’s nephews, the sons of David’s sister Zeruiah (1 Chronicles 2:16). Joab had a long and checkered career as David’s army commander. Abner and Joab were both tough, mean, military men. Abner suggests the young men fight each other in hand-to-hand combat. Twelve from each side did so and appeared to kill each other by taking hold of their opponent’s head and thrusting their sword into their side. A very fierce battle ensued, and David’s men defeated Abner’s men. Therefore, that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which isin Gibeon.
Abner and his remaining men retreated, and Abner ran for his life. Asahel (Joab’s brother) chased after him and refused to be put off by Abner. Asahel was a very fast runner (the Usain Bolt of his day) (v18) “As fleet of foot as a wild gazelle” and too single-minded, in his determination, to catch and kill Abner and crush the armies opposing David. Perhaps he was seeking some reputation for himself but in the end, Abner struck Asahel in the stomach with the blunt end of a spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. It must have been a terrifically hard blow. Afterwards people remembered the spot and paid respects to Asahel. (v23) Abner killed Asahel in self-defence but it did concern him that Joab would seek revenge on him.
What can we learn from this unusual incident? Asahel was faithful to his leader and wouldn’t be distracted, keeping his eye on the one he was following, and died fighting the enemy. We should be faithful to our Lord, be determined and not distracted, and be willing to give our lives for Him.
Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, who by now had rallied some more followers, they were Benjamites (v24-28). No doubt they wanted to avenge the killing of their brother Asahel.
Abner, standing on the top of a hill, called out to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?” Joab replied, “As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.”
Making peace was, by far, the best idea, and Joab agreed, no doubt, probably out of exhaustion. They made peace and left off fighting and headed back to Hebron.
Abner and his men ran for their lives and crossed the Jordan.
In all 20 of David’s men were missing by the end but Abner had lost 360 Benjamites. Joab and his men marched all night and arrived back at Hebron at daybreak. Asahel was given a respectable burial in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem.
It appears that despite ‘a peace treaty’ there was no peace. There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: This shows how wrong it was for Joab to accept Abner’s appeal for a cease-fire at the battle of The Field of Sharp Swords. The fact was that they couldn’t just get along, and that there could be no peace between the rightful king, David, and the pretender to the throne, Ishbosheth. The cease-fire seemed to make things better, but in reality, it only made things worse, and it led to a long war (v29-3:1).
The apostle Paul said that in him there was a battle raging between the flesh and spirit. It is so with all believers because the self wants its own way when we should be surrendered to Christ. We cannot serve God and any other ‘god’.
