Slices
Prepare
Reflect for a moment on the wrath of God that Jesus absorbed on your behalf.
Bible passage
Abner goes over to David
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. 7 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?’
8 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 offence involving this woman! 9 May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath 10 and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.’ 11 Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
12 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.’
13 ‘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.’ 14 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.’
15 So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16 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.
17 Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, ‘For some time you have wanted to make David your king. 18 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.”’
19 Abner also spoke to the Benjaminites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do. 20 When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. 21 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.
Joab murders Abner
22 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. 23 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.
24 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! 25 You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.’
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. 27 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.
28 Later, when David heard about this, he said, ‘I and my kingdom are for ever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 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.’
30 (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle of Gibeon.)
31 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. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.
33 The king sang this lament for Abner:
‘Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
34 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.
35 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!’
36 All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. 37 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.
38 Then the king said to his men, ‘Do you not realise that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39 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!’
Explore
What’s the difference between just judgement and sinful revenge? David seemed to know it. After Joab’s sneak attack on Abner (vs 23–27), David mourned for Abner with real tears (v 32) and wouldn’t break his fast early even with the people’s encouragement (v 35). In David’s mind, this is clearly an incident of revenge for which God would hold Joab and his family line accountable (vs 28–30).
Joab had an all-consuming thirst for revenge for the death of his brother (vs 27,30). We’d have to be heartless to fail to understand this very human reaction. But what is the kind of heart response that God requires of us? God states clearly that ‘Vengeance is mine’ (Deuteronomy 32:35, NRSV), which Paul reaffirms to the New Testament believer in Romans 12:19. So the first thing we are to understand is that no matter the strength of our feelings and justness of our cause, we are not to avenge ourselves but to leave that responsibility wholly with God.
Now let’s be practical for a moment. We probably don’t face a situation anything like Joab’s, but we do face betrayals, insults, loss and hurt. How are we to respond? Jesus shows us the better way: forgiving his enemies while trusting the goodness of his Father to judge justly (see Hebrews 10:12,13).
Respond
Revenge is the desire to be God rather than to trust God. Is the Holy Spirit convicting you to forgive someone and to trust the Father?
Deeper Bible study
Not that I have already … arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.’1
My dog has huge brown eyes, which he uses to great effect when he wants something, or to make you feel guilty! We, too, learn how to manipulate others for our own ends. Today’s reading shows us a time when lives and legacies depended on sides, loyalty and wise decisions in leadership. Abner initially makes it clear he is loyal – today! – to the house of Saul (v 8). Having made Ish-Bosheth into a puppet king, he would have lived obediently under him and may have even desired the throne himself but, as Abner is accused of this sexual act of treason,2 it encourages him to revolt!
Abner shifts his loyalty, looking to make a union with David, bringing together the houses of Israel and Judah (v 10) – God’s desired outcome. We may often question how God can possibly be involved in – or aware of – our situations or church life, because of the way they unfold. But God is in control. We have read how all opposition to David from Saul to Abner was removed from his path. God has, as expected, clearly gone before David. David hasn’t murdered or manipulated. Rather he has (albeit strategically at times) honoured his opposers, resulting in restoration and unity between the factions, a halt to bloodshed and joint affirmation of David’s actions and leadership (v 36).
Now, for the first time, we read the messianic phrase ‘the throne of David’ (v 10, ESV).3 God has placed David on the throne as he intended. What a challenge when all seems impossible, that God is working, for as God declares: ‘my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways’.4 Throughout history, many have and will continue to give him thanks for that fact and for his ultimate perfect timing and intervention.
‘...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion’!5 Are you willing to trust him when this looks far from reality?
1 Phil 3:12 2 Taking the concubine of a late monarch was seen as a bid for the throne, 2 Sam 16:22 3 See eg Luke 1:32 4 Isa 55:8 5 Phil 1:6
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 33,34; Psalms 75,76
Pray for Scripture Union
Thank God for opportunities Local Mission Partner CSCW in Chester have to support over thirty local schools with their Year 6 transition work through their Moving On project. Please pray for rest for the team, teachers and pupils over the summer as they prepare for the new academic year.
