ABNER JOINS David’s FORCES David reigned on the house of Judah for five years and a half, not moving to submit the rest of the tribes. He most probably dedicated his life, beside his responsibilities in that small kingdom, to a life of piety and worship. And when Abner moved to set Ichebosheth of Saul’s house, a king over the rest of the tribes, David remained faithful to his promise to Saul and Jonathan, and refrained from attacking Ichebosheth, despite his weakness and frailty. Ichebosheth started the attack , persuaded by Abner, the commander of his army, having been like a puppet in his hands. David stayed calm, but when he had to defend himself, he dispatched Joab, yet not to attack but to defend. That situation did not last long; after less than two years, Abner reversed his loyalty, and held a covenant with David to deliver to him the rest of the tribes of Israel; while David still remained calm, contemplating in the exalted work of God. 1- War between the house of Saul and that of David 1-6. 2- Abner opposes Ichebosheth 7-11. 3- A covenant between Abner and David 12-21. 4- Joab murders Abner 22-30. 5- David mourns for Abner 31-39. 1- War between the house of Saul and that of David: As Abner, a relative of Saul, made Ichebosheth a king over Israel (except for the tribe of Judah). David kept his peace, waiting for the hand of God, and for his true and faithful promises; He did not seek to submit the rest of the tribes under his reign, nor to oppose the new king. Ichebosheth on the other hand, started war, persuaded by Abner, who was keen on keeping the kingdom in Saul’s house, although he knew that God vowed to give it to David (2 Samuel 3: 10, 11). There was a long war between the house of Saul and that of David, who persisted on his position of not opposing the king, and of not doing anything wrong to the house of Saul. During that war that lasted about two years, David learned patience and waiting, with faith and confidence, for the realization of God’s promises: “David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker” (2 Samuel 3: 1). During that long war, God was working among His people, to draw them gradually toward David, not by force or through compulsion, but through David’s calm and holy life. The children of God need to enter into troubles, for God to transfigure in them, and to proclaim Himself through their conquest and inner triumph. With every tribulation, our depths get purified, and God’s light is revealed in us, to gain many to the account of His joyful kingdom. The apostle Peter says: “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4: 14). It is as though, in the midst of suffering, we enjoy the Spirit of glory; and the dwelling of God in us, would be proclaimed. St. Cyprian says: [God wants us to rejoice and be filled with joy amid tribulations (Luke 6: 22, 23); As where tribulations are, crowns of faith are given, the soldiers of Christ are justified, and heavens will be opened1] . We often wish to reign in a hurry; Yet God wishes us to pass through the way of 1 Eِp. 55 (Oxford ed. Ep. 28). 23 passion and tribulation, in order to enjoy the glory of God within us, through our fellowship with Him in His passion ... We tend to hasten things up, but God knows how to lead us with his exalted wisdom toward glory through passion. Now, we go back to David, who remained in Hebron, reigning on Judah alone, not preoccupied with authority or greatness, but with the holy life. Six sons were born to him in Hebron: His firstborn was ‘Amnon,’ who committed sin with his sister (2 Samuel 13), as a fruit of what David did with the wife of Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11, 12); He died during David’s life. ‘Chileab’ , by Abigail, whose name originally was ‘Daniel’ (1 Chronicles 3: 1); He most probably died by the end of David’s life. ‘Absalom’; who later rebelled against his father, and has been a cause of bitterness to him; He also died during his father’s life. ‘Adonijah,’ who sought the heirship after the death of his father, having been the eldest of his then living children (1 Kings 1: 5). Then, ‘Shephatiah,’ followed by ‘Ithream’. 2- Abner opposes Ichbosheth: Although David reigned over just one tribe, and Ichbosheth reigned over all the rest of the tribes, David carried his glory inside him through his faith in God working in him; while Ichbosheth leaned on Abner his relative and the commander of his army. That is why the glory of the first grew from day to day; while the other’s collapse, also so increased. The first leaned upon God, walking according to His divine counsel; while the other leaned upon a human arm and walked according to human counsel’ Abner strived for several years, during Saul’s life, to save his life and those of his children, and failed; and tried for five and a half years, to recover the cities that were seized by the enemies, to pave the way for Ichebosheth. Here, Ichebosheth was finally reigning over Israel ... But Abner was turning against him. Ichebosheth, of weak personality, fiercely came to admonish Abner who had gone in to one of Saul’s concubines; not out of zeal for the holy life, but because he assumed that Abner intended by that to act as a king. Abner did not receive that admonishment well, as he was the one who set him king; and as fiercely, he rebuked the king, saying to him: “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?” (2 Samuel 3: 8). He probably said that, assuming that Ichbosheth was accusing him of treason, as though he, in so doing, had secretly joined forces with Judah. And probably, as Abner saw how David grew stronger and greater in the eyes of many, while Ichbosheth grew weaker, he was waiting for a chance to change sides; He probably began to realize that he was opposing God’s will by fighting David; So he said to Ichbosheth: “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 Judas, from Dan to Beersheba” (2 Samuel 3: 1, 10). Ichbosheth could not answer Abner because his personality was weak before him, before himself, and before all the people. 24 Abner was so conceited with himself; as he recovered for Israel many of the cities that were seized by the enemies, at a time when no king was on the throne of Israel, except for the tribe of Judah on which David reigned. As he was the one who set Ichbosheth a king, he could also destroy him; And now in his speech, he assumes that he can do the same thing with David; namely, he can set him a king, and he can also destroy him. .. However, he could not realize, that before David was to be anointed a king over all the tribes, Abner would be dead. He represents the haughty human arm, who thinks himself able to set kings and destroy them; and does not realize that he is nothing more than a weak breath, that could be reclaimed in on a time he does not expect. David probably gained, through Abner’s relationship with Ichbosheth, a practical experience that would come to support him all the days of his kingdom; so he expressed in his psalms: “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he return to the earth ... Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Psalm 146: 3-5). “It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in princes” (Psalm 118: 8). St. Jerome says: [There are many, who lean on a ruler, who is here today, yet tomorrow he is not; By day, he may be parading his troops; yet by evening, he may be lying dead in his tomb ... We have only one help, who is able to save1] . 3- A covenant between Abner and David: Ishobosheth kept silent and did not utter a word before the threats of Abner, because he got the throne from his hand, and not from God’s hand. As for Abner, he did not need more time to think the matter over, as the idea of forsaking Ishobosheth had actually taken root in his mind; So, he sent messengers on his behalf to David , saying: “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be witch you to bring all Israel to you” (2 Samuel 3: 12). Thus Abner promised-through his messengers-to bring all the tribes on to David, if the latter would have him in his service, and forgive every thing he did. David accepted that proposition, but presented a condition for finalizing the covenant, that his first wife ‘Michal,’ daughter of Saul, who was given by her father to ‘Palti the son of Laish,’ would be returned to him (1 Samuel 25: 44). Why did David put that condition? Some believe that David sought her, not out of love, but for political reasons: to make it clear, that he was and before every thing else, Saul’s son-in-law, which gave him before the tribes a kind of legitimacy to ascend the throne. While others see in that behavior, a personal satisfaction to David, whose wife was taken from him to be given to somebody else. These two reasons, might have been on David’s mind; But I think that He must have had other important ones. He wanted to confirm, not just to Abner and Ishbosheth, but to all the tribes, that he was not keen about getting the throne, for the sake of gaining authority and temporal honor; He could have accepted the proposition, and after ascending the throne, he could have demanded Michal, with nobody standing in his way. But he wanted to make it clear 1On Ps. hom. 55 25 that he was still faithful to his wife Michal, whom he loved; and that was for him of more priority than receiving the throne; If he was not faithful to his wife, how then could he be faithful to all those people? Michal loved him and saved his life from the hand of her father (1 Samuel 19: 11, etc.); and now, he was proclaiming his love to her as his wife, even on the expense of recovering his throne. A successful leader cares for his inner life, and his hidden depths, being at the same time faithful in his love for those under his care and leadership. The apostle Paul says: “For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? “ (1 Timothy 3: 5). Whoever practices love in his house, and with his own friends, knows the concept of care through the experience of love; to say together with St. John Chrysostom: [I am a father, full of compassion1], [I have nothing and nobody more beloved to me than you2] .So we admire in David that deep spirit, that reveals the holiness of his inner life, and his appreciation of his wife, more so than gaining any temporal honor. Abner demanded from Ishbosheth, to send back Michal, David’s lawful wife to him; being the king and her brother; something he could not have opposed. So he took her away from her husband and sent her to David; her husband went along with her to Bahurim weeping behind her. ‘Bahurim’ means (youth)3; In its location nowadays is ‘Ras Tamim,’4 north-west of the Mount of Olives, on the way from Jerusalem to Jordan (2 Samuel 16: 5). At it, Shemei cursed David, while he was fleeing before Absalom; and in it Jonathan and Ahimaaz hid (2 Samuel 17: 18). 4- Joab murders Abner: We would have expected David to hasten joyfully to seize that chance to gather all the tribes under his dominion; Yet it happened that he, lovingly and confidently, stood to contemplate God’s work with him. The one who hastened to move was Abner; who got in touch with the elders of Israel to set David a king, as they had previously sought, beside realizing the will of God. He spoke as well in the hearing of the tribe of Benjamin who listened to him, being one of them, and the most brave and loyal to Saul; They assumed that he came to despair of Ishbosheth. It seems, due to Abner’s talk with the elders, that the tribes, in time past, had sought to set David a king over them (2 Samuel 3: 17); but Abner himself opposed them to establish Saul’s throne, until he finally came to despair of Ishbosheth. So Abner took with him 20 men of the tribes’ elders, and came to David, who made a feast for them, as a sign of their union, and of the covenant made between them. Abner was so impressed by that encounter, that he requested David’s permission to go to make all the necessary arrangements to proclaim him a king over all Israel (1 Chronicles 11: 1-3). Joab came back with his men from war; and when he heard of what happened between David and Abner, he got mad as he probably feared that Abner may replace him 1On Heb. hom. 23:9. 2On Acts. hom. 3 3 New Westminster Dict. of the Bible, p. 89. 4 J.L. Mckenzie: Dict. of the Bible, P. 77. 26 as the commander of the army. He rebuked David, claiming that Abner was a spy who intended to deceive the king, until he had the chance to go out to gather all the tribes against him. David held his peace, but not for fear of Joab, as Ishbosheth did before Abner, but, because he did not care for Joab’s thoughts, and for his rash actions in several occasions. Joab, behind David’s back, sent messengers after Abner, to return from the well of Sirah to Hebron (the distance between them is about 2 1/2 miles); pretending that he (or the king) would like to discuss certain issues with him (2 Samuel 3: 26). Now when Abner did return 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; and for fear that he might replace him as the commander of David’s army. It was not fitting for Joab, as a man of war, to kill someone who came in peace to negotiate with him; He should have challenged him to fight him openly if he wished.... Moses commanded the people, saying: “Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly” (Deuteronomy 27: 24). 5- David mourns for Abner: David gallantly and nobly, both officially and personally, proclaimed his innocence of the murder of Abner, and his refusal of what Joab did, describing it as unfitting for a man of faith and a man of war; and that God would definitely punish him for it (2 Samuel 3: 29). David officially confirmed his position by following Abner’s coffin, and by commanding the people to tear their clothes, to gird themselves with sackcloth, and to mourn for Abner. He also personally proclaimed his innocence of that crime, by lifting up his voice and weeping at Abner’s grave, and by fasting the whole day. His grief was shared by the whole people. David disregarded that Abner had been his enemy, and only remembered him as a great leader, whom he could have used to fight against the heathens. In a magnificent lamentation, he 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” (2 Samuel 3: 33, 34). He did not die in war as a weak man; as he was capable of fighting; His hands were neither bound, nor his feet were put into fetters; But he died through treason before the wicked men: Joab and Abishai. Yet David did not relieve Joab from his command, probably because he could not be replaced as a great worrier; and probably also because he believed that Joab did it, according to his belief, that he was defending the kingdom of David, assuming that Abner was a spy and deceitful.
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