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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadGreater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 290. Abner
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Abner
2. There were already many in the north who favoured David's cause; and the number of these was greatly augmented when it became known that Abner had cast his influence into the scale. Abner came to an understanding with the heads of Israel, and particularly with the Benjamites, who might have been inclined to favour Ishbosheth from their tribal connexion with Saul's house. He then brought the conspiracy to a head by making overtures to David. David, however, acted with wise caution. While willing to take advantage of the northern league, he delayed matters for a time, and meanwhile demanded of Ishbosheth that his former wife, Michal, the daughter of Saul, should be publicly restored to him. David made this demand, doubtless, out of wise policy. It must be remembered that David's policy had been to lay claim to the kingdom of Israel as the legitimate successor of Saul. He had executed the Amalekite who boasted of slaying the king on Mount Gilboa, and he had sent publicly to Jabesh-gilead to thank the inhabitants for rescuing the bodies of Saul and Jonathan. In the same spirit he refused to treat with Abner till Saul's daughter Michal had been restored to him. It was evidently the purpose of David to depose Ishbosheth after providing for his maintenance, and to assume the headship over the house of Saul as the husband of Michal. By this means he doubtless hoped to unite all Israel peacefully under his sceptre.
David was too much dissatisfied with Abner's past conduct, and saw too clearly that it was only stress of weather that was driving him into harbour now, to show any great enthusiasm about his offer to make league with him for the undisputed possession of the throne. On the contrary, he laid down a still preliminary condition; and with the air of one who knew his place and his power, he let Abner know that if that condition were not complied with he should not see his face. We cannot but admire the firmness shown in this mode of meeting Abner's advances; but we are somewhat disappointed when we find what the condition was-that Michal, Saul's daughter, whom he had espoused for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, should be restored to him as his wife. The demand was no doubt a righteous one, and it was reasonable that David should be vindicated from the great slur cast on him when his wife was given to another; moreover, it was fitted to test the genuineness of Abner's advances, to show whether he really meant to acknowledge the royal rights of David. But it is not likely that, in this demand for the restoration of Michal, David acted on purely personal considerations. He does not seem to have been above the prevalent feeling of the East which measured the authority and dignity of the monarch by the rank and connections of his wives. Moreover, as David laid stress on the way in which he got Michal as his wife, it is likely that he desired to recall attention to his early exploits against the Philistines. He had probably found that his recent alliance with King Achish had brought him into suspicion; he wished to remind the people therefore of his ancient services against those bitter and implacable enemies of Israel, and to encourage the expectation of similar exploits in the future.1 [Note: W. G. Blaikie, The Second Book of Samuel, 45.]
3. The demand was granted-another proof of Ishbosheth weakness, and of Abner's overmastering power in the councils of Mahanaim-and Abner, with twenty others, was appointed to escort Michal to Judah. The embassy served Abner's end: he could now interview David personally, and concert plans of action with him for the reunion of the kingdoms. David received Abner with all honour; and the new league was approaching completion when a tragedy occurred which threatened to bring about a renewal of strife, and to shatter all the hopes of a peaceful union. Joab's bitter spirit of revenge would not consent to any agreement with Abner. As the slayer of his brother Asahel, Abner was necessarily Joab's mortal enemy. And, if Joab knew of Abner's plans, personal jealousy might also have come into play. Returning from a foray immediately after Abner's departure, he raised a protest, and, not content with this, sent treacherously to recall him, and murdered him in cold blood in the gate of Hebron.
David felt that the murder would give rise to hateful suspicions and cast a shadow on his own reputation. He did what he could to dissociate himself from the treachery of Joab. He gave Abner honourable burial; he fasted and put on sackcloth, and wept over Abner's grave. But, though he cursed Joab in his heart, and openly expressed abhorrence of the deed, he did not call Joab to account-either from weakness or from regard to his great and otherwise faithful services. David was perhaps beginning to find his loyal but unscrupulous nephew too strong for him. David's supreme tact and that marvellous fortune which followed him throughout his career are well illustrated at this crisis, but the real explanation of his ability to escape this seemingly impossible dilemma lies deeper. His upright record and the personal confidence which he had inspired even in his foes alone enabled him to dispel suspicion. His lament over Abner might have been deemed mere hypocrisy, but it was evidently not so regarded by the people of Israel. His frank confession of his own weakness in the hands of Joab and his ruthless kinsmen perhaps also carried great weight before the bar of public opinion. In any case, his prompt repudiation of connivance in Abner's death was generally approved in the north, and the movement in his favour continued.
4. The removal of Abner, however, was a fatal blow to the hopes of Ishbosheth. His hand became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. At this juncture two Benjamite officers, Rechab and Baanah, resolved to take a desperate and decisive step. Seizing an opportunity of murdering Ishbosheth during his noonday sleep, they cut off his head and carried it to David, congratulating him on the vengeance which had overtaken his enemy. They little knew their man. David indignantly ordered their summary execution, and buried the head of Ishbosheth in Abner's grave at Hebron. Nor can David's indignation be attributed solely to a politic desire to conciliate Saul's family, his whole conduct on this and similar occasions being marked by an abhorrence of crimes of treachery and violence.
“Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.… So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.”
Through perils at the hands of friend and foe, through many crises and temptations, David had passed unscathed. By his reserve and moderation, as well as by his courage and diplomacy, he had at last won the highest honour that his race could confer. Israel had also, in Divine providence, at last found the man supremely fitted to lead it on to the realization of its highest material hopes.
This was a most memorable event in David's history when his throne was at last set up, amid the universal approval of the nation. It was the fulfilment of one great instalment of God's promises to him. It was fitted very greatly to deepen his trust in God, as his Protector and his Friend. To be able to look back on even one case of a Divine promise distinctly fulfilled to us is a great help to faith in all future time. For David to be able to look back on that early period of his life, so crowded with trials and sufferings, perplexities and dangers, and to mark how God had delivered him from every one of them, and, in spite of the fearful opposition that had been raised against him, had at last seated him firmly on the throne, was well fitted to advance the spirit of trust to that place of supremacy which it gained in him. After such an overwhelming experience, it was little wonder that his trust in God became so strong, and his purpose to serve God so intense. The sorrows of death had compassed him, and the pains of Hades had taken hold on him, yet the Lord had been with him, and had most wonderfully delivered him. And in token of his deliverance he makes his vow of continual service, “O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.”1 [Note: W. G. Blaikie, The Second Book of Samuel, 64.]
Nine years had gone since conscience, duty, his country, the cause of civil freedom, the cause of sacred truth and of the divine purpose, had all, as Cromwell believed, summoned him to arms. With miraculous constancy victory had crowned his standards. Unlike Condé, or Turenne, or almost any general that has ever lived, he had in all these years of incessant warfare never suffered a defeat. The rustic captain of horse was lord-general of the army that he had brought to be the best disciplined force in Europe. It was now to be seen whether the same genius and the same fortune would mark his handling of civil affairs and the ship of state plunging among the breakers. It was certain that he would be as active and indefatigable in peace as he had proved himself in war; that energy would never fail, even if depth of counsel often failed; that strenuous watchfulness would never relax, even though calculations went again and again amiss; that it would still be true of him to the end, that “he was a strong man, and in the deep perils of war, in the high places of the field, hope shone in him like a pillar of fire when it had gone out in all others.” A spirit of confident hope, and the halo of past success-these are two of the manifold secrets of a great man's power, and a third is a certain moral unity that impresses him on others as a living whole. Cromwell possessed all three.1 [Note: Morley, Oliver Cromwell, 346.]
There is nothing, I hold, in the way of work
That a human being may not achieve
If he does not falter, or shrink or shirk,
And more than all, if he will believe.
Believe in himself and the Power behind
That stands like an aid on a dual ground,
With hope for the spirit and oil for the wound,
Ready to strengthen the arm or mind.
When the motive is right and the will is strong
There are no limits to human power;
For that great force back of us moves along
And takes us with it, in trial's hour.
And whatever the height you yearn to climb,
Tho' it never was trod by the foot of man,
And no matter how steep-I say you can,
If you will be patient-and use your time.2 [Note: Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Poems of Life, 16.]