God doing God things

Death of Asahel

2 Samuel 2:13–24 KJV 1900

13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. 15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. 19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. 21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him. 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? 23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

Saul is dead

All but one of his sons died alongside him in the battle against the Philistines.

This one remaining son was a man named Ishbosheth or Eshbaal.

Ishbosheth means man of shame.

Eshbaal means Son of Baal.

You may remember a man named Abner who was the general of Saul’s armies.

He had survived the battle.

He immediately taken Ishbosheth to the east side of Jordan and had him crowned king in his father’s stead.

Meanwhile, upon hearing of Saul’s death, Judah had crowned David as their king.

There was immediate tension among the people as to who was the true and right king.

Inevitably, as tensions mounted, there came a point where hostilities overflowed.

Abner led the armies of Israel, true to the family of Saul, to reclaim the city of Gibeon.

Gibeon had been Saul’s capitol.

Abner believed Ishbosheth would be taken more seriously if he could reclaim his father’s place of governance.

David’s forces learned of this and moved immediately to meet them.

David’s army was led by three men, brothers, that had been with David during his years of refuge.

Actually, there connection with David goes back further than that.

Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were all the sons of Zeruiah, David’s sister.

Though they were David’s nephews, they may have been the same age or even older than David, since David was the youngest.

Each of these men had been instrumental leaders among David’s mighty men.

You can do a Bible search on their names and read about their incredible exploits.

Abishai is the one that accompanied David into Saul’s camp.

He was also the one who saved David’s life when, as an old man, he grew weary in the battle just as one of Goliath’s brothers attacked him.

Abishai is the one who killed the giant.

These guys are incredible.

Joab is the leader, though, and he cuts off Abner at the pool of Gibeon.

A 75x25 ft cistern that provided drinking water for the city.

The two armies line up against each other, waiting.

Abner speak first and suggests to Joab that they each send out twelve soldiers to fight and decide the contest.

Joab agrees and 24 men move into position.

The battle does not go as planned.

Each man paired up with his opponent.

Each man locked in to fight.

Each man stabbed his opponent in the side.

Each man fell down dead.

The place became known as Helkathhazzurim: The plot of the sharp blades.

With no clear winner, both armies erupt in battle.

Things do not go well for Abner and the armies of Saul.

He is forced to retreat and flee from the battle.

Asahel sees Abner fleeing and takes off after him.

There is a significant age difference between Asahel and Abner.

Abner is a mature, hardened warrior.

Asahel is less experienced but he is fast.

The Bible says he was as fast as a wild deer.

Speed vs power is always an interesting matchup.

Abner knows that he won’t be able to stay ahead of Asahel for very long.

He tries to shake the younger man, but he cannot.

He calls back to Asahel and tries to dissuade him from the chase.

He tries to convince him to choose a different target.

Asahel should attack one of the other soldiers and take their armor as his prize.

Asahel is undeterred.

Abner calls back to the young man a second time.

He warns the youth to stop chasing him.

Abner expresses his lack of desire to strike Asahel to the ground.

He says that he would be unable to show his face to Joab again if he killed his brother.

This suggests that Joab and Abner had, in the past, enjoyed at least a respectful relationship with each other.

This highly probable given their history.

Again, Asahel refuses to give up the chase.

He is young.

He is ambitious.

He is gaining on the older man.

Abner uses Asahel’s speed and momentum.

As the younger man closes in for the kill, Abner, in one motion, turns, buries the front end of his spear into the ground, and raises the back end of the spear into the air.

Asahel is running so fast and was so close to catching Abner that he can’t adjust or stop in time.

His momentum carries him right into the butt spike of Abner’s spear with so much force that the spear went in the front and came out the other side.

The skewered Asahel died that day from his wound.

His body was found by his brothers Joab and Abishai.

They pursue Abner, but they are unable to over take him.

The events of that day spark a long war between the houses of David and Saul.

Deal with Abner

2 Samuel 3:1–21 KJV 1900

1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. 2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul. 7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine? 8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? 9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba. 11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him. 12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. 13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face. 14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. 16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. 17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: 18 Now then do it: for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. 21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

David’s power was growing.

The war lasted a long time.

Over that time it became more and more clear that David would win and Ishbosheth would lose.

Ishbosheth truly was a man of shame.

Had it not been for Abner, there is no way he would have lasted so long.

Abner knows this.

Abner makes a move against Ishbosheth.

Abner was Saul’s cousin.

He took one of Saul’s concubine’s to himself.

This was an obvious move against Ishbosheth.

Besides the dishonor, it could have also been seen as a play for the throne.

Ishbosheth tries to confront Abner about this.

Needless to say, Abner doesn’t take kindly to Ishbosheth’s correction.

He blasts the young fool and reminds him of what is really going on.

The only way Ishbosheth hasn’t been handed over to David is because Abner has been protecting him.

Since Ishbosheth had accused him in this way, he would now personally see to it that all of Israel be delivered into the hand of David.

Ishbosheth just stands there.

He could get no answer to come out of his mouth.

The Bible tells us that he was so scared of Abner.

Abner contacts David with an offer of allegiance.

David answers with agreeableness on one condition.

David’s first wife, Saul’s daughter Michal, had married another man.

David wanted her back.

Abner agrees.

David writes to Ishbosheth to send his sister back to her rightful husband.

Ishbosheth takes Michal from her current husband and sends her to David.

Abner seems to be the one tasked with delivering her.

Before he goes to see David, he has a meeting with the elders of Benjamin, Saul’s tribe.

He convinces them to throw their support to David.

He even brings 20 Benjaminites with him to meet David.

David receives the general.

I wonder what kind of relationship they had had before Saul went mad with jealousy.

Abner had been the one to present David to Saul’s court after the defeat of Goliath.

David had fought alongside Abner as one of Saul’s captains.

The two men certainly had plenty in common and plenty to talk about.

Abner promises to deliver the rest of the tribes to David.

With his help, David will reign over a united Israel.

David sends Abner to accomplish his word.

Abner leaves in peace.

Death of Abner

2 Samuel 3:22–39 KJV 1900

22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? 25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. 26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? 34 Thy hands were not bound, Nor thy feet put into fetters: As a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him. 35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down. 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. 38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

Soon after David sent Abner away, Joab returned from fighting.

I can just hear Joab asking David’s other servants how things have been going in his absence.

One of them pipes up and tells Joab that Abner had been there.

He had just left a little earlier.

Seems like he and David worked something out.

Joab probably didn’t hear much after the words, “Abner was here...”

Rage overcomes his mind.

He goes to David to complain about the fact that David not only hosted Abner but let him leave in peace.

Joab is very much against these actions.

He leaves David and immediately sends messengers to catch up with Abner and ask him to come back to the city.

He does this without informing his uncle.

Joab cannot let go of what Abner had done to his brother.

The messengers go out and find Abner and convince him to return to the city.

Remember, there seems to have been a somewhat cordial or respectful relationship between Joab and Abner.

When Abner reaches the gates of the city, Joab meets him.

He tells Abner that he would like to talk to him privately.

He leads Abner over to the side of the road.

Then, without warning, he stabs Abner under the fifth rib and kills him.

This is the same place where Asahel had impaled himself on Abner’s spear.

David is greatly disturbed by Joab’s actions.

He curses Joab and his descendants.

He gives Abner a burial fit for a national hero.

He wept over Abner.

He fasted in mourning.

When the people saw how David honored a man who could have been his enemy, they grew in their respect for him.

He bemoans the actions of his nephews.

Joab had tried to dispense justice in an unjust manner.

There was a way to deal with what Abner had done.

Joab had prevented true justice from being served.

Because of this, Joab now stands on the wrong side of justice.

At the end of the passage, David prays that “the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.”

Big time jump...

David’s death approaches

1 Kings 2:5–6 KJV 1900

5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. 6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

David gives Solomon some final instructions.

There is a list of people that David instructs Solomon to either watch, kill, or allow to live.

One of the men that David marks for death is his nephew Joab.

Joab, in addition to killing Abner, had misled David in the rebellion of Absalom, he had then killed Absalom, and he had killed the man that David had replaced Joab with and took over control of the army again.

Because of this, David tells Solomon to execute judgment on his cousin.

David reigned for 40 years.

Joab had gone a long time without having to answer for his actions.

Abishai is not mentioned because he had probably already died.

David tells Solomon not to let his gray head go to the grave in peace.

After his father died, that’s exactly what Solomon did

Solomon carries out justice on Joab.

1 Kings 2:28–34 KJV 1900

28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. 30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. 31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father. 32 And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah. 33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord. 34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

Someone warned Joab that Solomon was coming to kill him.

We see Joab in a totally different light than we might expect.

Facing his own time of judgment and retribution, Joab flees for his life.

Though there has been little evidence of spirituality in his life to this point, Joab runs to the tabernacle and grasps the horns of the altar.

Benaiah commands Joab to come out and face justice.

Joab refused.

Benaiah sends word to Solomon that Joab will not come out.

Solomon tells Benaiah to go in and kill him.

Benaiah obeyed the king.

He entered the Tabernacle and slew Joab there before the altar.

By doing this, David’s house was faithful to uphold judgment against Joab.

Even though they were family, justice had to be served.

Even though it took a long time, justice would be carried out.

We look at this whole story to find comfort.

Was Abner a pure and innocent man? No.

Did he deserve to die the way he did? No

He had killed Asahel in battle.

He had given him several warnings and chances to turn back.

In the end, he killed Asahel in Self defense.

Joab acted out of hatred and revenge.

He did not go through the proper channels to ensure justice for his brother.

He was deceitful and took a life.

But then, nothing happened for 30+ years.

How many people forgot about Abner and what had happened?

How many people were born who had no idea about what Joab had done.

None of this mattered because there was someone who remembered and who would be sure that justice was carried out.

In this way David is very much like God in this story.

God is patient and long-suffering, but He is also just.

It may seem to us like God has forgotten the injustices committed in our world.

It may seem like He will never do anything about it.

This is never the case.

When we talk about God doing god things, one of the things we can be certain of is that God will judge the injustices of humanity.

When you witness injustice, take comfort in knowing that god sees it too.