Abner

I. Foolishness led to downfall

It is not the author’s purpose to declare whether Ishbosheth was correct

It is not the author’s purpose to declare whether Ishbosheth really believed the charge

The charge itself wasn’t just immorality. It was that Abner was making a political move to supplant the King (2 Sam 16:20-23).

the Point is that Ishbosheth did not have the power to enforce the charge he was making, and didn’t realize that until he had already made it.

II. God’s Grace overcame conniving

David’s history with political marriages (v.2-5)

Note - 1 chron 3:1-4 lists the second son as “Daniel.” It isn’t clear why. Either Chileab had two names (Common), or he died in childhood and was replaced by Daniel (also common)

In addition to the two wives he already had, we have Maacah the daughter of the King of Geshur. Confusingly, there appears to have been two Geshurites. Earlier David had raided the Geshurites (1 Sam 27:8), when he still lived in Ziklag, but this was clearly a nomadic tribe to the south of Israel in the desert. But this Geshur was in Syria to the North. Absalom had spent time there after he went into exile for the murder of his brother Amnon (2 Sam 14:32; 15:8) where Absalom mentions that Geshur is in Syria (Aram). Deut 3:14 declares that centuries before David, Jair of Manassah had taken the region of Bashan just to the south of Geshur and Maacah. Bashan was on the east of the Jordan River, in the northernmost corner of Israel.

The importance of this is that Geshur was to the north of Ishbosheth’s capital Mahanaim, which was also located in the transjordanian region. So this marriage would create an ally on the other side of Ishbosheth, boxing him in. David’s marriage to Maacah was a political marriage designed to create a political alliance. He did not marry for love.

the remaining three we know nothing about besides their names. But the diversity of places the women were from (Jezreel, Northern Israel; Carmel, Southern Judah; Geshur, Northeastern Israel), indicates that David was adding wives specifically for political purposes.

God had warned that the king of Israel should not multiply wives (Deut 17:17) for the danger was that the king’s heart would turn away from God. It seems that God was specifically warning against political marriages to secure alliances, for in a political marriage, the woman would be expected to bring her ancestral gods with her. That is why they would turn the King’s heart away. David did multiply wives, but seems to have escaped this danger. However, he provided an example for his son, Solomon. Solomon also multiplied wives, but to a much greater extent. He doubtless learned that by watching David, and Solomon didn’t escape that danger. David isn’t responsible for Solomon’s clear refusal to obey God’s direct warning about his wives; David is responsible for the bad example he set.

Long term effects quite negative - Absalom was born from his first political marriage, who was a very foolish son and caused David no end of grief. Had David stuck to God’s plan for marriage, he wouldn’t have had possibly dozens of kids, but a more normal amount, and this would have meant that he had the time to raise them properly. Furthermore, we know that from this marriage he also had a daughter, Tamar (2 Sam 13:1). And it was her rape that caused Absalom to go off the deep end, kill Amnon and eventually tried to kill David. As it was with that many wives, he had enough sons that parenting them properly was nigh impossible. So doing things God’s way would have brought David considerably more joy. Again, David isn’t responsible for the bad choices of his children. He is responsible for choosing to live more like an oriental despot in his marriages, and that choice had bad consequences. Also, in the intervening years was David’s sin with Bathsheba, which was a whole order of magnitude worse, and God sentenced David to having the sword never depart from his house. Still, no Absalon and Tamar, and a better marriage means a better environment for the children, means likely wiser children and therefore less pain from David’s children’s foolishness.

The motive behind David’s demand for Michal

the morality of David’s demand (Deut 24:1-4; Jer 3:1 )

Deuteronomy 24:1–4 NKJV

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Jeremiah 3:1 NKJV

“They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man’s, May he return to her again?’ Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me,” says the Lord.

Resulting events completely negated the need for this action.

III. Wisdom led to success

Notice the difference between Joab’s stated reason (v.24-25) and his actual reason (v.27).

Why doesn’t the King execute Joab for murder?

He clearly wanted to later (1 Kings 2:5-6)

1 Kings 2:5–6 NKJV

“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

He had no problem executing people for murder. He did in chapter one, and he will again in the next chapter.

Instead of executing him, he goes through this elaborate show to distance himself from Joab’s actions. Abner fell “as before the wicked” (v.34). the Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness (v.39). Well, why ask God to be involved. He is the King. It’s his job to punish the guilty.

Answer: He couldn’t 2 Samuel 3:39 .

He was too weak. Remember that Joab returned with an army (v.22). Making your second in command angry while he has control of the military is an excellent way of ending up dead. He knows Joab is opportunistic, and will stop at nothing to retain the power he has. Joab wouldn’t fail to act if he was mad enough.

In ancient Israel the family was responsible for punishing murder (Num 35:16-35). Now God made it clear that accidental death wasn’t wrong, but with the family being the ones responsible, it was really common for people to take it too far. Our text is quite clear that Abner was not guilty of murder. but most people would have more sympathy for Joab, simply because family connections were so strong. So David knew what was right, but he wouldn’t have had much popular support on this point.

David was immensely popular (v.36) but that popularity didn’t let him get away with just anything. It wouldn’t stop an angry Joab from starting a coup; It wouldn’t convince most people that Joab was as wrong as he was.

However, Joab has just ruined David’s attempt at diplomacy with the northern tribes. Abner, who was going to assist David in bringing the whole nation under him, is now dead. Now what?

Thus the show

Declaration of Deutonomic Curses on Joab (28-29)

Forced Joab and all his army to tear their clothes and mourn for Joab, and led the lament himself

Composed a poem as a eulogy, slaming Joab’s actions. (33-34)

Fasted. But unlike Saul, he only did so in time of peace. (35-36

Actively condemned Joab and Abishai (38-39)

Result - David successfully distances himself from Joab’s actions. Joab remains as commander because he loves power too much, but his humiliation this day prevents him from causing trouble. (37)

Part of good leadership is knowing what you can actually accomplish - Deut 24:1-4 allows for divorce, yet Jesus clearly taught that God doesn’t want divorce. Why? Matt 19:7 the hardness of people’s hearts meant that God cannot outlaw divorce, for people won’t listen. Therefore he regulates it.

Matthew 19:7 NKJV

They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”

IV. God’s Purposes accomplished in spite of people

Abner’s recognition of God’s Purposes

Joab’s vendetta did not disturb God’s Purposes