Deception, Deceit, Vengeance, Death, and Division
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
As we continue our story in the book of 2 Samuel, God’s people are still divided. If you’ve been with us over the last week you will remember that Ish-Bosheth is the king over the northern part of Israel (which is the name that northern land goes by). Abner is the leader of his armies, and really is the guy in charge.
David it the king over the tribe of Judah in the south and Joab is the commander of his army.
Today we come to a story that tells us the tension was not only bad between the kingdom of Ish-Bosheth and David’s kingdom; but there is also trouble between Ish-Bosheth and Abner.
If you have your Bibles I want to encourage you to turn with me to 2 Samuel chapter 3 and we’ll begin reading in verse 6.
During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul.
The writer wants us to remember that there is still a war going on between Saul’s descendants and David. But now we are going to learn of the unrest between Abner and Ish-Bosheth.
Ish-Bosheth’s Challenge
Ish-Bosheth’s Challenge
Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
We are told that Saul had a concubine named Rizpah
Apparently Abner had sexual relations with her. This is where we often miss the cultural issues—I’m not saying what he did was right, but I do want us to understand why it was such a big deal.
In the ancient near east, a concubine was a way to raise more heirs, especially if the queen was unable to have children. So, after the death of a king, a person who wanted to announce that he wanted to be the next king, well, he would take a concubine of the deceased king into his own house, to signify that he was taking over the kingdom.
Now remember, Abner is the “real” ruler of the northern kingdom—he is the power! Ish-Bosheth is a “figurehead” of the kingdom.
So, here Ish-Bosheth is accusing Abner of usurping his authority and trying to take the crown. The crazy thing is, it was Abner’s political power that pushed Ish-Bosheth into the limelight as king. Now he’s accusing Abner of treason.
Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!
Abner’s response—How dare you!
I’m not just anyone, that you can bark at and treat like a dog.
After all you may function as the king, but I have all the power!—I made you.
I’ve been loyal to you! After all, I haven’t handed you over to David.
And now you are accusing me of doing something “wrong” with a woman—remember that in that day, women were treated like they were property.
May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.”
Abner warns that he has the ability to give David the entire kingdom.
Notice that Abner knew what Yahweh had promised David.
Abner threatens to make the Lord’s promise a reality.
Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
Ish-Bosheth knows that he is not able to go up against Abner and win! So he backs down.
Abner Keeps His Threat
Abner Keeps His Threat
Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.”
Abner sends messengers to David:
Who is really in charge—the answer to the rhetorical question is: David and Abner—Ish-Bosheth is just a puppet-leader.
So Abner offers to make an agreement with David to make him the king over ALL the land of Israel.
“Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.”
David agreed to make an agreement with Abner.
But he had a requirement for Abner to be in the presence of king David. He had to bring Michal, the daughter of Saul.
David killed 200 men to pay 100 foreskins to Saul in order to marry Michal.
Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
David helps push things along. He sends messengers to Ish-Bosheth demanding that he give him, his “wife” Michal—David says he paid the price for her already.
This was a move that would have helped unite the two sides. For those who were loyal to Saul, could continue to do so while supporting David, since he would not be recognized as the “son-in-law” of Saul.
So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.
Notice that Ish-Bosheth does exactly what David demanded.
Michal is taken away from Paltiel.
Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.
Paltiel followed them all the way to Bahurim, “weeping behind her.”
Apparently at Bahurim the group met up with Abner, and Abner tells him to go home.
And Paltiel goes home—this was probably not a suggestion, but a command.
Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king.
Now Abner meets with the elders of Israel—and reminds them that they have wanted David to be king for a while.
Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’ ”
Abner encourages them to act quickly.
He reminds them of Yahweh’s promise that David would be the instrument of Yahweh’s salvation from the Philistines and from their other enemies.
Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do.
Abner also speaks “in person” which is a translation of “into the ears of”, which suggests that he spoke privately to the elders of the tribe of Benjamin. Remember, Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin, so Abner had to do more talking with them to convince them to follow David.
In the second half of the verse the NIV says that Abner went to Hebron to tell David everything. . .once again there is the phrase “spoke into the ear of” this also appears to be a private meeting.
Many scholars see Abner as the de facto ruler of Israel. Now he’s brokering a deal to give the kingdom to David. This private meeting may have been to broker a deal so that he was the sar saba—[commander of the army] which would have displaced David’s current commander, Joab.
When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men.
So Abner goes to visit David at Hebron.
He has about 20 men with him.
David prepares a feast to honor Abner and his men.
Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
Abner encourages David to let him go and get the ball rolling quickly—he wants to assemble all Israel.
The goal of this meeting to for them to make a covenant with David so that David can rule over all his heart desires.
So David agrees and sends Abner away in peace.
Joab’s Revenge
Joab’s Revenge
Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.
Joab and Davids men had been out raiding and brought back a great deal of plunder.
Abner had already left Hebron—because David sent him away in peace.
When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.
Joab is told that Abner had come to talk to the king.
And that the king sent him away—and he left in peace.
So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone!
Joab is not happy—remember Abner killed his brother Asahel.
He questions the king.
What have you done? Abner was here in your hand!
How could you let him go in peace?
You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”
You know Abner came to deceive you—to lie to you.
He just wants to see what you are up to—find out your movements.
He basically reminds David that Abner cannot be trusted even a little bit.
Not to worry, Joab has a plan of his own. Look at verse 26.
Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it.
Joab leaves David’s presence, and immediately sends messengers after Abner.
They catch up to him at the cistern at Sirah.
But David doesn’t know anything about Joab’s plan.
Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.
Based on the message, Abner returns to Hebron.
Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if he was going to talk to Abner privately—a different word than previously used, this one means alone and uninterrupted.I
There are many reasons for Joab to dislike Abner. (1) Abner killed Joab’s brother, Asehel. (2) If the agreement went through Abner would hinder Joab’s career and his military position. (3) Joab seems to have had better character than Abner—at least for the most part. (4) Abner had been the “enemy” for a while and sometimes that is hard to simply turn off.
Joab stabbed Abner in the stomach and he died. This is a huge problem because Hebron was a city of refuge.
Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
He announces that he, himself, and his kingdom are innocent of Abner’s blood.
May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”
Abner’s blood is to be on Joab—and on Joab’s whole family.
David says “May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or lean on a crutch or falls by the sword or who lacks food.” This was David’s pronounced judgment—when it should have been more severe. Joab should have been stoned. So why was David so soft? This seems to be a pattern for David—he is slow in exercising discipline and judgment on family members.
(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
We are brought back to the reason given in scripture that Joab and Abishai killed Abner—because he killed their brother!
Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier.
David commands that the people mourn the death of Abner:
—Tear their cloths.
—Put on sackcloth.
—Walk in mourning in front of Abner (as the carried him to the burial place.
David led by example—he walked behind the bier (a frame that was used to carry the body to the burial site).
They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.
They buried Abner in Hebron.
The king wept loudly at Abner’s tomb.
The people followed their king’s lead—the also wept.
The king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner have died as the lawless die? Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before the wicked.” And all the people wept over him again.
The king sings—chants—this lament.
All the people wept again over Abner.
Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
When the “funeral” was over the people encouraged David to eat.
But David refuses to eat until after the sun sets—a sign of mourning and respect.
All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them.
The people see the king’s actions.
They are pleased because the king is acting in a kingly fashion.
So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.
David’s actions—his behavior—proved to the people that he had nothing to do with the murder of Abner.
Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?
David paid respect to Abner—a commander and great man has fallen in Israel. . .”
And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”
David’s being anointed as king was overshadowed by grief.
The sons of Zeruiah are dead, and that was overbearing to David.
He says, “May the Lord [Yahweh] repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”
The Death of Ish-Bosheth
The Death of Ish-Bosheth
When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.
Ish-Bosheth hears that Abner has died in Hebron
He lost his courage—we would say, he went weak in the knees.
Not only that but all of Israel was alarmed—concerned, afraid, worried.
Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin,
We’re introduced to two men who were under Abner.
They were leaders of raiding parties sent out by Ish-Bosheth (actually by Abner).
Their names Baanah and Rekab—they were brothers!
They were actually from the tribe of Benjamin.
But they lived outside of Benjamin proper in an area called Beeroth.
because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have resided there as foreigners to this day.
Just a side note.
(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)
We’re introduced to a son of Jonathan that has survived.
His name is Mephibosheth.
And he’s crippled because he was injured at the age of 5 when his father was killed in battle.
Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.
Now back to the main story—
Rekab and Baanah returned from raiding.
They arrived in the heat of the day.
While Ish-Bosheth was taking an afternoon nap.
They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
They go into the king’s house under the pretense of getting some wheat.
But they kill Ish-Bosheth by stabbing him in the stomach.
Then they slipped away undetected.
They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah.
But they did more than just stab him—they cut off his head and took it with them.
They traveled all night through Arabah.
They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
They bring the head of Ish-Bosheth to David.
They proudly proclaim—“Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.” They are thinking that they did something great that will excite David and give them great position or reward.
David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!
David acknowledges the Lord’s role in any deliverance that might come his way—not these two men.
He reminds them that when the man came and told him that Saul was dead—he (David) killed the messenger.
Death was the reward David gave the man for his new!
How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!”
How much more severe will I be to the wicked men that have:
—Killed an innocent man.
—Killed him in his own home.
—While sleeping on his own bed.
Shouldn’t David require the blood of the two messengers that are standing before him now?
So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.
David gives the order to have the two men killed.
He has their hands and feet cut off—symbolic of treachery.
Their bodies were hung by the pool in Hebron.
And the head of Ish-Bosheth was buried in Abner’s tomb there at Hebron.
So What?
So What?
What do we learn from this story? I think there are several things that we can learn.
First, we learn that God works in His own way! He usually does not work in the way I think He should work. Isaiah 55:8 reminds me of this very fact.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Second, I believe this story reminds us to wait on the Lord. So many times it seems like God is not doing anything—or He’s not working fast enough. I am tempted to take matters into my own hands and hurry things up. We learn from this story that God is not slow in fulfilling His plans. 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us of this:
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Third, we learn that God never honors deceit. Proverbs 12:20 tells us:
Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.
Because of these three lessons—all learned from this story, we can rest with confidence in the truths of Romans 8:28 when Paul writes:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.