The chapter indicates that David grew stronger and stronger. God’s Spirit was upon him. But the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker because God’s Spirit had departed (v1).
God was evidently blessing David in Hebron even though he was still waiting God’s timing to be king over all Israel. As we saw in his youth after he had been anointed king, he still carried on with the menial tasks of watching over sheep. Now we are taken into his family circumstances and v2-5 tell us that sons were born to him in Hebron.
Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, Chileab by Abigail, the widow of Nabal, thirdly, Absalom, by Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur, Adonijah by Haggith, Shephatiah, by Abital and Ithream by Eglah. Thus, he had six different wives. This was not in accordance with God’s command (Deuteronomy 17:17. Genesis 2:24).
God was not pleased with polygamy; it certainly wasn’t His plan. The Bible simply states the fact and later records how David reaped the penalty for this sort of sin in regard to his family. His family life and these sons were obviously not blessed. We learn from the Bible something about these sons which left a lot to be desired. It was not a very happy family!
We shall see just how unhappy it was –
Amnon raped his half-sister and was murdered by his half-brother.
Absalom murdered his half-brother and led a civil war against his father, attempting to put his father, David, to death and take the throne.
Adonijah tried to take the throne from his father and also Solomon. He also tried to take one of his father’s concubines and was executed.
Chileab, Shephatiah and Ithream either died young or were worthless, ungodly men as they are only mentioned once again in 1 Chron 3.
In v6,7 we read that Abner was “Strengthening his hold on the house of Saul” and Ishbosheth was obviously a weak man and Abner inevitably became confident that he was the power behind the throne and Ishbosheth accused him of going in to his father’s concubine, Rizpah. It was considered to be a bid for the throne to do such a thing.
Abner, like many before and since, got rather full of his own importance and believed he could do what he liked. He even says he was entitled to do what he wanted, and not only that, but he also issued threats to Ishbosheth in that “If it wasn’t for me, you would have been delivered into the hands of David.” (v8) Abner was a smooth talker, a clever and convincing arguer, but as we shall see shortly, a fool.
He sounds very much like a politician – he says what people want to hear. He is ‘all things to all men’.
Abner became very angry at Ishbosheth’s accusation, and replied, “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 with a fault concerning this woman?” It seems that the accusation was false and maybe Ishbosheth had made up the accusation to get rid of Abner. However, Abner continued – “May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the LORD has sworn to him; 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.” (v8-11)
Ishbosheth seemed to be speechless, “And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.”
Abner told Ishbosheth that he would defect to the side of David. He knew that God had promised the throne to David, but he had fought against him until now. Clearly looking after his own ends. Abner does right in going over to David’s side, but he does it for the wrong reason. He knew that David was God’s anointed, and he transfers his allegiance because Ishbosheth offended him. He now realized that he could not get his own way with Ishbosheth so transferred his allegiance to David.
How important that we do the right things for the right reasons.
Abner sent messengers to David and asked “Whose is the land? Make a covenant with me, and my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel to you.”
David replied that he would make an agreement with him but on condition that he brought back his wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, who Saul had taken and given to another man in an attitude of spite against David. David sent messengers to Ishbosheth asking for the return of Michal (v12-16). David still considered Michal to be his wife despite Saul giving her to another to spite David.
Ishbosheth was afraid of Abner and the message comes from David to Ishbosheth, no doubt David thought Abner spoke on behalf of the king. Ishbosheth was eager to accept and obliged by taking her from Paltiel, her new husband and sending her back to David. Paltiel is so distressed he followed behind weeping as far as Bahurim, but Abner told him to go back, and he obeyed. Paltiel was obviously distressed but Abner, a hard man, simply told him to go back.
She was David’s wife by right and his action shows that he did not harbour bitterness against Saul’s house despite how Saul had treated him.
Abner communicated with the elders of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin and encouraged them to make David king now. Abner obviously realized that David should rightfully be king, not only of Judah but all Israel and so he appeared to change tack and became a David supporter. (v17-19)
Amazing that Abner should remind the people of the prophecies spoken by The LORD, even that he knew of them, for after all he was an army commander. Some of what he said we have no record of, but either he knew it, or he made it up to suit his own ends. It seems that, sadly, the words were not always obeyed. Just as most of the Jewish nation did not receive nor obey Jesus.
David made a feast for Abner and the twenty men who were with him when they came to Hebron. Again, we see the character of David in how he treated his former enemy. Abner promised David that he would gather all Israel to follow him. Abner is sent away in peace no doubt to carry out his promise (v20,21)
The scene changed however (v22-25) Joab returned with his men from a raid bringing plunder with them. Fortunately, David had sent Abner away, but Joab was told that Abner had been to the king. Joab accused Abner of being a spy and he was angry with David for falling for it. He considered that David had been foolish in meeting with Abner and had been taken in by his deception.
In chapter 2, confirmed in Numbers 35 v9-28, we read that Abner killed Joab’s brother, Asahel, and Joab was obviously concerned that Abner might replace him as commander of David’s army. For those reasons, Joab must do something about Abner and so (v26,27), unbeknown to David, he sent messengers after Abner who brought him back. When he returned, he took him aside privately and stabbed him to death. It says that he took him aside in the gate, more likely just outside the gate, for Hebron was a city of Refuge (Joshua 20:7) and he had no right to kill him inside the city even though he was avenging his brother, Asahel’s blood.
Joab may have convinced himself that he was justified in doing what he did, but it is never right to do wrong to rectify another wrong, and such an action was bringing disgrace on the name of The LORD, and on the king.
David stated that he and his kingdom had nothing to do with the murder of Abner, and he stressed that any guilt was upon Joab, but sadly did nothing to correct him apart from a curse on him. The curse on Joab was quite severe – ‘let there never fail to be a leper in the house of Joab, a cripple, someone killed by the sword or one who is hungry.’ (v28-30)
Verses 31-39 describe how David mourned the death of Abner and told Joab and all the people to mourn with him. He even followed the coffin to the burial in Hebron. He wept at the grave and said, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters; as a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.”
He lamented that he died as a fool because he could have stayed in Hebron, the city of Refuge and not been killed. David did not want his kingdom established by violence. He wanted God to establish his kingdom and to punish his enemies. David still believed that ‘vengeance belongs to the LORD.’
David was held in great respect and all the people wept with him and over him. He even went without food and (v35-37) “…. 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!” Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. 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.”
David was a great example to his people, and they held him in high regard. He was distraught at the murder of Abner, even though Abner had been an enemy and a traitor among his own people, so much so that he vowed to fast that day.
When we talk about repentance it is not just being sorry, it goes much further and means that we do an about turn and seek to do the wrong no more.
Everything David did pleased the people. He made it clear that it was not his intention to kill Abner.
He spoke to his servants and told them that a prince and a great man had fallen that day, and even though he was king, he felt week because of what had taken place. He was prepared to leave it to The LORD to deal with evildoers (v38,39)and he was concerned with the actions of Joab and Abishai. Joab may have been a good general, but he was not a nice man. This whole affair was a mess. Throughout David’s reign we see his strengths and weaknesses, his sins and his repentance, and they all act as warnings and examples to us. Even forgiven sin brings consequences. Sin leaves scars.
