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CHAPTER IX

THE REIGN OF DAVID

§ 1. THE result of the battle of Gilboa was that Israel again became the vassal of the Philistines. Abner, Saul's general, fled with Eshbaal, Saul's surviving son, over Jordan to Mahanaim, and there Eshbaal was crowned king over Israel. But his kingdom, as it would seem, was tributary to the Philistines. [In the Bible itself you will find his name written not, as here, Eshbaal, but Ish-bosheth. His true name was, however, Eshbaal, and the name meant Man or Servant of God, for Baal (lord) was in old days a title of God. But the title was disfavoured and finally dropped, because of a possible confusion of God when so called with the Phoenician divine name Baal, and thus for Baal (lord) there was substituted in most names with which it had been compounded Bosheth (shame). Hence for Eshbaal we get Esh- or Ish-bosheth. In one or two places, however, the form Eshbaal still survives, and I think it is better that we should now call the son of Saul by his true name. Mephibosheth, too, stands for Meribbaal, for the first part of the name was still further modified. Meribbaal was the name of Jonathan's son.]

Meanwhile David moved eastwards to Hebron in the heart of Judah, and thither the men of Judah' came and 'anointed David king over the house of Judah.' So now there were two kings, Eshbaal in the north and David in the south. For seven years and a half David remained king of Judah only, with his residence in Hebron. In more ways than one he attempted to push his influence and power. Here is an example.

And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of God, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now may God shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will shew you good, because ye have done this thing. Now

therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

But soon a long and desultory war broke out between the two rival kings, and though we know hardly anything of the details, we are told in general terms that David waxed stronger and stronger, and Eshbaal waxed weaker and weaker.

On one occasion:

Abner the son of Ner, and the men of Eshbaal the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the men 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. And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men arise and fight before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. Then there arose and went over by number twelve of the men of Eshbaal, and twelve of the men of David. 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 The Field of the Plotters. And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the men of David.

And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. 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. 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? Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner turned and smote him in the belly, 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. But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come

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to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of the hill. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, surely the people had not ceased from following every one his brother even until the morning. So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more. And Abner and his men marched all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel. But the men of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, three hundred and threescore. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day brake upon them at Hebron.

§ 2. After a time Abner and his master Eshbaal had a quarrel, and Abner made up his mind to desert to David, whose fortunes were clearly in the ascendant. He opened up communications with him, and he also began to hint at his views and aims to the 'elders of Israel.' His traitorous intentions were, however, prematurely cut short.

And Abner sent messengers to David unto Hebron, saying, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. And David 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. And David sent messengers to Eshbaal, Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for an hundred of the Philistines. And Eshbaal sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. And her husband went with her, and followed her,

weeping all the way, to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you: now then do it: for God 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. 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 to the whole house of Benjamin. 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. 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.

And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid, 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. 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. 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? 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. And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him to the side of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: let it rest on the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house.

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 followed the bier. And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king

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lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented over Abner, and said,

Had Abner to die as a reprobate dieth?

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. And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun be down. And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: may God reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

§3. Upon the murder of Abner there followed hard the murder of his king.

And when Eshbaal heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands grew feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. Now Eshbaal had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin.

And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Eshbaal, as he took his rest at noon. And, behold, the woman that kept the door of the house was winnowing wheat, and she slumbered and slept; and the brethren, Rechab and Baanah, went privily into the house, and as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away toward the Arabah all night. And they brought his head unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Eshbaal the son of Saul thine enemy, who sought thy life; God hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. And David answered Rechab