Abner Joins Forces with David
Previous lesson:
A disastrous civil war. (A war between citizens of the same country.)
Abner was the commander of Ishbosheth’s army.
Joab was the commander of David’s army.
David’s real rival in the North was Abner, not Ishbosheth.
Abner knew David from the time David had killed Goliath.
Abner knew Joab, Abishai, and Asahel well.
We ended our previous lesson with both armies calling for a truce and going back to their hometowns.
Today’s lesson.
Abner Joins Forces with David (Remember, Abner was the commander of Ishbosheth’s army.)
2 Samuel 3:1-21 NLT
3:1 That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
2 These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.
3 The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
4 The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
5 The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.
Abner Joins Forces with David
6 As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. 7 One day Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.
8 Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman? 9 May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the Lord has promised him! 10 I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.” 11 Ishbosheth didn’t dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, “Doesn’t the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you.”
13 “All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”
14 David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of 100 Philistines.”
15 So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti son of Laish. 16 Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned.17 Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told them, “you have wanted to make David your king. 18 Now is the time! For the Lord has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’” 19 Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.
20 When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast. 21 Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.” So David sent Abner safely on his way.
Examine the Scriptures
2 Samuel 3:1-21 NLT
3:1 That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David.
- A long war began between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David.
The truce called by Joab and Abner was short-lived.
2 Samuel 2:26-28 NLT
26 Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”
27 Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.” 28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.
The civil war occurred during the time David was the ruler of Judah (This civil war lasted between 2-7 years).
The supporters of Saul’s family wanted to limit David’s reign to Judah.
Those of David’s dynasty were convinced that it was time for David to become the ruler of the entire nation of Israel.
As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
- As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
- One way David’s dynasty became stronger was by David marrying more wives and having more sons.
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
2 These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.
3 The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
Daniel is Kilead in Hebrew.
Chileab is the name used in many translations.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
Geshur is a small Canaanite Kingdom located east of the Jordan River, north of the Sea of Galilee.
Talmai, king of Geshur, would be an ally to David on Ishbosheth’ northern border.
Marrying into neighboring royal families to create political alliances was a common practice in the ancient Near East.
Solomon carried out this practice and it led to his downfall.
- Marrying into neighboring royal families to create political alliances was a common practice in the ancient Near East.
4 The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
5 The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.
More about these sons in future lessons.
Abner Joins Forces with David
6 As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul.
Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth’s army, became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul.
Abner was the one who put Ishbosheth on the throne and whose power held him there.
Ishbosheth was simply a figurehead.
- As time passed Abner began to make his own move to take the throne.
See verse 10:
I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David.
7 One day Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.
- Conflict breaks out between Ishbosheth and Abner. (This won’t be good for Ishbosheth.)
Great significance was attached to taking the concubine of a former king.
It is unclear whether Abner actually did so.
Taking a king’s wife or concubine was often a usurper’s attempt to replace the king.
Going in to the king’s concubine was a statement of power and rightful claim to the throne.
If a royal concubine had a son, this son, according to custom, could become king one day.
This could be considered an act of treason (attempting to overthrow the government).
This happened with ten of David’s concubines and David’s son Absalom.
2 Samuel 16:21 NLT Ahithophel Advises Absalom
21 Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.”
- Going in to the king’s concubine was a statement of power and rightful claim to the throne.
8 Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman?
Abner was furious with Ishbosheth.
Remember, Abner had control over the life and death of Saul’s son.
- Abner was furious with Ishbosheth.
9 May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the Lord has promised him!
- It is clear that Abner had “political” ambitions. He wasn’t about to let Ishbosheth get in his way.
- Abner was aware of God’s plan for David.
If Abner was aware of God’s plans for David, then many other people throughout Israel also must have known it.
1 Samuel 13:13-14 NLT
13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed (to Saul). “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
- Abner was committing himself to help David become the King of all of Israel.
10 I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.”
Abner was a very powerful man. (As stated before, Abner was the real power in the Northern kingdom.)
Abner was committing to help establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah.
This sounds like God’s plan for David.
11 Ishbosheth didn’t dare say another word because he was afraid of what Abner might do.
Ishbosheth knew that Abner was the real power behind the throne.
Ishbosheth did not dare go against Abner’s wishes.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David, saying, “Doesn’t the entire land belong to you? Make a solemn pact with me, and I will help turn over all of Israel to you.”
Being aware of God’s plan for David, Abner was setting himself up for a leadership position in David’s kingdom.
- Abner wants assurance that he will not face reprisals for his past loyalty to the house of Saul.
Abner wanted to be on the winning side and to be honored as the one who brought all the people under David’s rule.
13 “All right,” David replied, “but I will not negotiate with you unless you bring back my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come.”
David demanded that Abner restore, as a sign of his good faith, his long-separated wife, Michal to him.
14 David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of 100 Philistines.”
- David felt that Michal legally belonged to him since he had paid the “bride price” for her.
- David wanted Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, not Abner to give Michal back to David. This would make the act more official.
- Also, in the minds of the people (the northern elders), the reunion of David and Michal would strengthen David’s claim to the throne as a legitimate son-in-law of Saul.
15 So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti son of Laish. 16 Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned.
17 Meanwhile, Abner had consulted with the elders of Israel. “For some time now,” he told them, “you have wanted to make David your king.
More political maneuvers on the part of Abner.
- Apparently, the elders of Israel had begun supporting the idea of making David king over Israel.
(There has been no mention of this support up to this time.)
18 Now is the time! For the Lord has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’”
By this time, it appears that Samuel’s anointing of David had become common knowledge.
Saul had failed to save the Israelites from the Philistines.
1 Samuel 9:16 NLT
16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
- Abner was actively advocating the idea of David becoming the rightful king over all of Israel.
19 Abner also spoke with the men of Benjamin.
The men of Benjamin, men from Saul’s own tribe, would have been Ishbosheth’s primary supporters.
- Abner persuaded the men of Benjamin that the rule of David over them was in their best interest.
Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people of Israel and Benjamin had agreed to support him.
20 When Abner and twenty of his men came to Hebron, David entertained them with a great feast.
- David was at peace with Abner and now treated him as a friend and ally.
Remember: Abner and David knew each other from the time David had killed Goliath.
21 Then Abner said to David, “Let me go and call an assembly of all Israel to support my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king, and you will rule over everything your heart desires.”
This covenant would unite the north and south with David as their king.
So David sent Abner safely on his way.
