Chapter Two

The Anointing of David as King in Hebron over the Tribes of Judah and Simeon. The Anointing of Saul’s Son Ish-bosheth as King over the Remaining Hebrew Tribes. Conflict Between the House of Saul and the House of David.

2 Samuel 2:1. After this David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” And David said, “Where shall I go?” And He said, “To Hebron. 2 Samuel 2:2. So David went up there with both his wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 2 Samuel 2:3. And the men who were with him, David brought up, each with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 2 Samuel 2:4. And the men of Judah came and anointed David there as king over the house of Judah. And it was reported to David that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul. The death of Saul and his son Jonathan created the circumstances in which it became possible to fulfill God’s determination through Samuel: that David become king over Israel. However, the anointing of David as king over Israel was not accomplished at once. David was recognized as king first only by the tribe of Judah (and Simeon). About Ahinoam and Abigail, see (1 Sam 25:40-44). “And it was reported to David that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul.” See (1 Sam 31:11-13).

2 Samuel 2:5. And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, saying to them, “Blessed are you by the Lord for having shown this loyalty to your master Saul, the anointed of the Lord, and having buried him, 2 Samuel 2:6. And now may the Lord show you kindness and truth; and I also will show you favor because you have done this; 2 Samuel 2:7. Now let your hands be strong and be men of valor; for your master Saul is dead, and I have been anointed king over Judah by the house of Judah. In offering gratitude and respect to the men of Jabesh-gilead for their loyal feelings toward Saul, David at the same time informs them that he, David, now anointed in Hebron, is the heir to these feelings. It is not known how the men of Jabesh-gilead would have responded to this proposal, and with them all the lands beyond the Jordan, had it not been for the opposite influence of Saul’s general Abner, who asserted the rights of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth.

2 Samuel 2:8. But Abner, son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and brought him to Mahanaim, 2 Samuel 2:9. And made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and over all Israel. 2 Samuel 2:10. Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. 2 Samuel 2:11. The total time that David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. David’s long wandering in the lands of neighboring peoples significantly weakened the popularity which he enjoyed among the Hebrews during the period of his brilliant clashes with the people’s enemies. The people began to forget about David. And those who remembered or heard of him no longer marveled at him, seeing him in the camp of the Hebrews’ age-old enemies – the Philistines (1 Sam 27-28). The enterprising and brave general of Saul, Abner, took advantage of this circumstance: he pointed out, most likely, the oppressive burden after the unsuccessful battle (1 Sam 31) of Philistine rule, the seeming ambiguity of David’s conduct, and without much difficulty persuaded the Israelites to recognize as their king the younger son of Saul – Ish-bosheth, promising on his part complete willingness to march under the banners of the new king against the enslavers of the Hebrew people, the Philistines, who had managed by this time to establish themselves firmly in most of the western regions beyond the Jordan. Mahanaim is a city in the middle part of the eastern region beyond the Jordan, south of Jabesh. Gilead is the neighboring regions of the eastern area beyond the Jordan. Instead of Asher, some read Geshur. In order not to remain king only in Hebron, David had to take active measures against Abner’s nominee – Ish-bosheth. Joab, his commander, became the military representative and defender of David’s rights.

2 Samuel 2:12. And Abner, son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. Gibeon is a city of the tribe of Benjamin, neighboring the tribe of Judah. The appearance of Abner’s troops in the immediate vicinity of David’s kingdom did not at all suggest peaceful intentions on the part of Ish-bosheth’s general. It is entirely plausible that in making Ish-bosheth king over Israel, Abner intended to draw Judah to him as well. To prevent Abner from approaching the tribe of Judah, Joab went out to meet him.

2 Samuel 2:14. And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and play before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise. On the basis of (2 Sam 2:18-22) one can conclude that Abner did not insist on a bloody battle. Instead of battle, Abner proposes to arrange a minor military duel to determine which of the opponents should abandon their position and withdraw.

2 Samuel 2:15. And they arose and went past each other: twelve Benjaminites of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants. 2 Samuel 2:16. And they seized one another by the head and thrust his sword into the other’s side; so they fell together. And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, at Gibeon. 2 Samuel 2:17. And there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David. The duel arranged by Abner’s suggestion did not, however, decide the disputed question, since all the participants in this duel remained dead on the field of contest. Meanwhile, the passions of the sides had become inflamed and could not wait, but already demanded this decision, and demanded it at once. A fierce battle took place. Helkath-hazzurim – according to the Vulgate text: “Ager robustorum”; according to the LXX text: “Meris epiboylon.”

2 Samuel 2:23. And he was unwilling to turn aside. So Abner struck him with the butt of his spear in the belly; the spear went through him, and he fell there and died on the spot. And everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell and died stood still. The death of Asahel made Abner the personal enemy of Joab, who was obligated, by the customs of that time, to avenge the murderer with bloody retaliation against him or his nearest relatives (see 2 Sam 3:27).

2 Samuel 2:27. And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, then the people would have withdrawn from pursuing their brothers this very morning. “If you had not spoken.” See verse 14.

2 Samuel 2:29. And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah, crossed the Jordan, and went through the whole morning and came to Mahanaim. Bitron is a region in the eastern area beyond the Jordan.