Abner Joins David, But Joab Murders Him

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 3:1) Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

In the last chapter and post, David had been anointed king over Judah, and even though Saul was dead, the captain of his army, Abner, made Saul's son Ishbosheth king over Israel, all of Israel except Judah, that is.  There was war between the two factions, but it seems David's men must have usually won the battles as David grew stronger and the house of Saul grew weaker.

(2) And to David were sons born in Hebron, and his firstborn was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

While David reigned in Hebron, sons were born to him.  His firstborn son was Amnon, and his mother was Ahinoam, David's wife, the Jezreelitess.

(3) And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

David's second son was born to his wife Abigail, the widow of Nabal, and his name was Chileab.  Apparently, David took a third wife, Maacah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, and she gave him his son, Absalom.

(4) And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; (5) And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

It appears that David married as many wives as he had sons, or rather vice versa.  His fourth wife was Haggith and she gave him Adonijah; his fifth wife Abital gave him Shephatiah, and his sixth wife, Eglah, gave him Ithream.  These six sons were born to David in Hebron.

(1 Chronicles 3:1) Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron, the firstborn Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;

1 Chronicles 3 also named David's sons.  However, Chileab, the son of Abigail, is called Daniel here.  Daniel is probably his real given name.  Chileab means "like his father," so that may have been a nickname as Junior might be now because he was so much like his father.

(2) The third Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; (3) The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. (4) These six were born to him in Hebron, and there he reigned seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.

The rest of David's sons who were born to him in the seven and a half years he reigned in Hebron are repeated.  David then reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-three years.

(2 Samuel 3:6) And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

During the time there was war between the house of David and the house of Saul, Abner was strong in his support for the house of Saul.

(7) And Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"

Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, and it seems that Abner had had sexual relations with her, and Saul's son Ishbosheth demanded to know why he had done such a thing.

(8) Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do show kindness this day to the house of Saul your father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David, that you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?"

Abner was angry with Ishbosheth because of his accusation against him, although he did not really deny it.  He asked Ishbosheth if he was no better than the head of a dead dog who did not care with whom he lay.  He who had defended the house of Saul, his brethren, and his friends, against the tribe of Judah, and had not allowed him to be delivered into the hand of David, he that loyal supporter of Saul, that is who Ishbosheth dared to accuse of fault concerning Saul's concubine.  Abner might have actually been owning up to the fact that he had had sexual relations with Saul's concubine, but that it could not be seen as a fault because of his fierce loyalty to the house of Saul.

(9) "So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord has sworn to David, even so I do to him, (10) To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba."

Abner was so angry that he wished God to destroy him if he did not see that the kingdom of Saul was transferred to David to be king over all of Israel.  It's interesting that he apparently knew all along what the will of God was, but he was actively working against it to set up Ishbosheth as king.  That confirms that he had probably been doing it for only his own self-interests.  Now God used Abner's desire for revenge against Ishbosheth to bring forth His will to have David king over all Israel.

(11) And he could not answer Abner a word again because he feared him.

Ishbosheth had nothing to say to Abner because he feared him.  After all, it was Abner who had made him king, and with the king's army at his command, Abner could easily take him out.

(12) And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" Saying, "Make your league with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring about all Israel to you."

Abner then sent messengers to David on his own behalf, not from Ishbosheth.  I believe his point was that he was acknowledging that the land was David's, and that he now desired to make a covenant of friendship with him, and he would do everything he could to bring all of Israel under his reign.

(13) And he said, "Well, I will make a league with you, but one thing I require of you, that is, you shall not see my face except you first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

David agreed it was well and good to join with Abner, but first before that could happen, Abner must bring David's wife Michal, Saul's daughter, to him.  It seems that even though David had had six wives since Michal, he must have still cared for her, or perhaps it was to demonstrate honor to Saul's family that his daughter might share with him the benefits of his reign.

(14) And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, "Deliver my wife Michal whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

David then sent messengers to Ishbosheth telling him to deliver his wife Michal to him.  David added that he had purchased her at a great expense and danger to his life by killing a hundred Philistines and bringing their foreskins to Saul as he required in order to marry his daughter (1 Samuel 18:25).

(15) And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Phaltiel the son of Laish.

Ishbosheth had Michal removed from her husband, Phaltiel, or Phalti, as he was called in 1 Samuel 25:44, when it was first told that Saul had given his daughter to him.

(16) And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go, return." And he returned.

Michal's current husband went along with her as far as Bahurim, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, because he evidently loved her very much and did not want to lose her, but he was forced to give her up by command of the king and the king's captain.

(17) And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "You sought for David in times past to be king over you. (18) Now then do it, for the Lord has 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.'"

Abner communicated with the elders of Israel, reminding them that it was generally known that David had been anointed to be king over Israel, certainly after Saul's death.  He encouraged them to now make David their king, implying he would no longer oppose him.  He reminded them of the words of the Lord declaring that it would be David who would save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and all their enemies.  There is no record in the Bible of the Lord saying those words, but He probably did say them to Samuel when He first said He wanted David as king, and they were not recorded, but probably verbally passed down and now general knowledge.

(19) And Abner also spoke 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 that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

Abner spoke these same words especially to the tribe of Benjamin of which was the family of Saul.  He spoke these same words in the hearing of David, or perhaps the meaning is rather that after speaking to the elders of the other tribes, he brought the news to David that all were agreeable that David should be king over them.

(20) So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men with him a feast. (21) And Abner said to David, "I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a league with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires." And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Abner went to David in Hebron with twenty men.  David received them and made a feast for them.  Abner told David that he would go and do all he could to gather all of Israel to come into agreement with David as their king.  He said he would do this so that David could reign over all that his heart desired, although David had not expressed any impatience to take over the entire kingdom, but had been content to wait on God's timing.  David sent Abner on his way in peace, having made a covenant of peace with him.

(22) And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a troop 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. (23) When Joab and all the host with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace."

After Abner had left David, Joab, the captain of David's army, came with his men, apparently after some military excursion against the enemy, and they brought in a very large spoil after evidently conquering the enemy.  Some in David's court told Joab about Abner coming to David, and instead of seizing him, David had allowed him to go in peace.

(24) Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why is it you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?"

Joab asked David what he had done in allowing Abner to come to him and letting him go in peace, implying that he should have seized him as the enemy.

(25) "You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in and to know all that you do."

Joab told David that surely Abner had come to deceive him and to learn his movements in order to surely destroy him.

(26) And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner who brought him again from the well of Sirah, but David did not know it.

When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner who was apparently at the well of Sirah, which the historian Josephus said was two and a half miles from Hebron.  The messengers brought him from there back to Joab, but David did not know any of this.

(27) And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly and struck him there under the fifth rib that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

When the messengers brought Abner back to Hebron, Joab met him at the gate and pulled him aside supposedly to speak to him in private, but he stabbed him under the fifth rib, in the same place Abner had struck Joab's brother Asahel, and he died.

(28) And afterward, when David heard, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner; (29) Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house, and let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls on the sword, or lacks bread."

When David heard what Joab had done, he declared that he and his kingdom were guiltless before God forever for the murder of Abner, that it was wholly on the head of Joab and his father's house.  It may be that David made that declaration publicly because Joab was his general, and he wanted it known that he did not command that his general kill Abner, that it was totally on Joab.  David went on to curse the family of Joab, wishing that there would always be one who had an issue of blood, or gonorrhea, as it sometimes meant, or one who was a leper, or one who was lame or fell on a sword or lacked food.  David said this in his anger, but I can't help but think he should have cursed Joab alone, not his innocent family after him.

(30) So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

It appears that Abishai was in on the plan to murder Abner because he had killed Asahel, the brother of Joab and Abishai, sons of David's sister, Zeruiah.  So it would appear that David's curse would be on his sister's house, all the more reason he should have directed his anger to Joab and maybe Abishai only.  But he had said it in anger; it was not meant as a prophetic curse.

(31) And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your clothes, and gird yourself with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the bier.

David told Joab and all the people with him to mourn Abner by the usual expressions of mourning, by tearing their clothes and putting on sackcloth.  King David followed the bed on which Abner's body was laid and carried to the grave.

(32) And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

They buried Abner in Hebron.  David wept loudly at the grave of Abner, and all the people with him wept.

(33) And the king lamented over Abner, and said, "Did Abner die as a fool dies?"

David lamented over Abner and said words over his grave.  He asked if Abner had died as a fool dies.  The word that was translated as "fool" is "nabal" and also meant stupid and wicked.  I believe David's point was that Abner had not died as a criminal or for any wickedness he had done.  He was unjustly murdered before his time.

(34) "Your hands were not bound nor your feet put into fetters; as a man falls before wicked men, so you fell." And all the people wept again over him.

Abner had not been bound and fettered as a criminal who knew his fate.  He had fallen as one murdered by wicked men.  This made the people weep again over Abner.  This he said in the presence of Joab whom he had told to mourn Abner with him.

(35) And when all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day, David swore, saying, "So do God to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun be down."

The people came to David to persuade him to eat, but he refused, swearing an oath that he wished for God to do the greatest evils against him if he even tasted bread before sundown, as he would continue his mourning for Abner until then.

(36) And all the people took notice, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people. (37) For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

The people took notice of how David conducted himself throughout the entire death and burial of Abner, and it pleased them, for they understood that David had never intended for Abner to be killed.

(38) And the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?"

Perhaps in explanation to his servants as to why he mourned the man who had so recently been considered an enemy, David explained that Abner had been a great man and even a prince in the house of Saul, as he was Saul's first cousin and a member of the royal family, as well as having the important position as Saul's general.

(39) "And I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness."

Although David had been anointed king, he was very new to the kingdom and had not yet been fully accepted by all of Israel, but Abner had been working on that.  Joab and Abishai, the sons of David's sister Zeruiah, were yet too powerful for David to make one of his first acts as king to punish them.  He said that the Lord would take care of their just punishment.

David Made King Over Judah and Ishbosheth Made King Over Israel

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 5:4) David was thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years.

King Saul had been killed, and now David began his reign at thirty years of age.  He reigned as king for forty years.

(1 Chronicles 29:27) And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem.

This scripture also spoke of David having reigned over Israel forty years.  Here it was added that he reigned in Hebron for seven of those years and in Jerusalem for 33 years.  It is interesting to note that Jesus began his ministry at age 30.  Also Hebron was the city of priests (Joshua 21:28), and Jerusalem was the city of the kings, of the law.  David's reign was a perfect foreshadowing of the gospel state that would come with Jesus.

(2 Samuel 2:1) And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?" And the Lord said to him, "Go up." And David said, "Where shall I go up?" And He said, "To Hebron."

David had been living in Ziklag in the land of the Philistines while he was hiding out from Saul.  Now that Saul was dead, he asked the Lord if he should go back to Judah, and if so, where?  The Lord told him to go to Hebron, a city of priests and a city of refuge (Joshua 21:13).

(2) So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.

So David did as the Lord told him and went from Ziklag to Hebron, taking his wives, Ahinoam and Abigail.

(3) And his men who were with him David brought up, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

The men who were with David also went to Hebron with their households and dwelt in the towns and villages around Hebron.

(4) And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, "The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul."

The men of Judah came to David in Hebron and anointed him king over their tribe, Judah.  They did not take it upon themselves to make him the king of all Israel even though that was God's plan.  They seemed to have thought like David, not to force him upon all of Israel at once, but the Lord would provide the way in His timing.  The men of Judah told David that Saul had been buried by the men of Jabesh Gilead.

(5) And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, "Blessed you of the Lord, that you have showed this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. (6) And now the Lord show kindness and truth to you, and I also will requite you this kindness because you have done this thing. (7) Therefore now, let your hands be strengthened and be valiant, for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

David sent word to the men of Jabesh Gilead to offer blessings to them for their kindness in burying Saul.  David told them that the Lord would bless them for their kind deed and that he would also repay them for their kindness.  He told them to be strong and valiant, probably meaning not to be afraid of the Philistines who had killed Saul, that although their king was dead, the house of Judah had made him their king, implying that he would now be their protector.

(8) But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, (9) And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Abner, Saul's first cousin, had been the captain of his army.  Perhaps he felt a fierce loyalty to Saul, and against David, or maybe it was for his own power and position, but he felt that Saul's only living heir should be made king over Israel.  That was Ishbosheth, or Eshbaal as in 1 Chronicles 8:33.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, expounded further than I have seen on the reasoning for the change of names.  Ish/Esh are essentially the same.  Baal was the name of a despicable and shameful false idol.  Bosheth meant "shame."  Perhaps rather than saying the name of a shameful idol, a word that meant the same was substituted, so Esh-baal became Ish-bosheth, as Jerub-baal, as Gideon became known (Judges 6:32), became Jerub-besheth in 2 Samuel 11:21.  Merib-baal became Mephi-bosheth, although there was a slight change to the first part of the name, as well.

Abner took Ishbosheth to Mahanaim which was in Gad on the other side of the Jordan, perhaps because it was close to Jabesh Gilead where Saul was buried, and maybe because it was away from David at Hebron, as seen on this map borrowed from Free Bible:

Abner apparently had the power, or at least he took it upon himself, to make Ishbosheth king of all Israel with the exception of Judah where David had been made king.

(10) Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. (11) And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Ishbosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years.  The tribe of Judah considered David their king, and he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months.  Evidently, it was a common belief that Ishbosheth reigned over Israel the whole time that David reigned over Judah, so perhaps the meaning is that Ishbosheth reigned two years before the following took place:

(12) And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. (13) And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met together at 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.

Abner, now the commander of Ishbosheth's army, along with the servants of Ishbosheth, went out from Mahanaim to the other side of the Jordan to Gibeon.  Zeruiah was David's sister, and it appears that Joab her son was the captain of David's army.  Joab and the servants of David went to the pool of Gibeon where Abner's army was, and they sat by the pool on one side across from Abner and his army.

(14) And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and play before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."

Abner told Joab to let the young men arise and "play," as gladiators or duelers might, to see who was the most skilled in the use of the sword.  Joab agreed to let his men arise and play.

(15) And then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Twelve men from Ishbosheth's army went over the pool to meet twelve men of David's army.

(16) And they caught every one his fellow by the head and thrust his sword into his fellow's side so they fell down together; therefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

The twelve of David's men each caught their opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent's side so that all twelve of Abner's men fell down together.  They called that place Helkathhazzurim, which literally meant "Field of Swords" in Gibeon.

(17) And there was a very sore battle that day, and Abner was beaten and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 

There was a very severe battle that day, and in the end, David's men won the "game" defeating Abner's men.

(18) And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

There were actually three sons of David's sister there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.  Asahel was said to be as swift of foot as a wild deer.

(19) And Asahel pursued after Abner, and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

Asahel pursued after Abner, straight after him, not turning his attention to the right or the left.

(20) Then Abner looked behind him, and said, "Are you Asahel?" And he answered, "I am." (21) And Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold of one of the young men, and take his armor." But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

Abner looked behind him and saw Asahel, and Asahel confirmed that it was indeed him.  Abner told him to turn aside to the left or right and take hold of one of his soldiers and take his armor, rather than pursuing him, but Asahel would not turn aside from following Abner.

(22) And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me, for why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?"

Abner warned Asahel to turn from following him or else he would be forced to strike him, which he apparently did not really want to do.  After all, neither he nor Joab had been "playing," and he did not want to have to face Joab if he struck Asahel.

(23) However, Asahel refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear struck him under the fifth rib that the spear came out behind him, and he fell down there and died in the same place; and it came to pass, as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

Asahel refused to turn aside, and he, being swift as a wild deer, was surely gaining on Abner, and Abner felt he must strike or be killed himself.  It seems as if Abner's spear had a pointed head on both ends, and he struck Asahel behind him by thrusting his spear backwards at him.  He struck Asahel under the fifth rib, and the spear went all the way through him, coming out his back, and he fell down and died.  All who came up to the place where he died were dumbfounded and just stood there, not pursuing Abner or any of his men.

(24) Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner, and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

However, it seems that Joab and Abishai, Asahel's brothers, had been pursuing after Abner behind Asahel, and they continued pursuing him.  The sun had gone down when they reached the hill of Ammah before Giah by the road of the wilderness of Gibeon.  The exact locations of these places are unknown, but they must have been near to Gibeon.

(25) And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one troop and stood on the top of a hill.

Men from the tribe of Benjamin came out behind Abner and formed a troop at the top of a hill against Joab and Abishai and their men.

(26) Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Don't you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then until you bid the people return from following their brethren?"

Abner called out to Joab asking if they should continue the battle of the swords forever until it resulted in a bitter end, with the killing of a great number more men and perhaps even him and Joab themselves.  He asked how long it would be before Joab called off his men from following their brethren.  He now called the men of Israel and the men of Judah brethren, but that didn't seem to bother him when he first suggested the brethren "play."

(27) And Joab said, "As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up every one from following his brother."

Joab answered, and I believe the sense is that had Abner not spoken as he had, Joab's army would have pursued all night and not quit until the morning.  Or perhaps he meant that had Abner not spoken in the first place to have the men "play," Joab's men would never have pursued them that morning or day.

(28) So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight anymore.

So Joab blew a trumpet which signaled his men to stop from pursuing and fighting with the men of Israel.

(29) And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain and passed over Jordan and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

So Abner and his men walked all night through the plain and across the Jordan River, back to their place in Mahanaim.

(30) 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. (31) But the servants of David had struck of Benjamin and of Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men who died.

Joab returned from following Abner, and when he gathered all his men together, he found that nineteen men plus Asahel had been killed.  However, they had killed 360 of Abner's men and the men of Benjamin.

(32) And they took up Asahel and buried him in the sepulchre of his father which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.  

Joab and his men took the body of Asahel and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, Zeruiah's husband, which was in Bethlehem.  Then they walked all night and came back to Hebron at daybreak the next morning.

The Lord had rejected Saul and now he was dead, but David, the Lord's choice for king, the man after His own heart, still was not made king over all Israel.  In fact, it seems a civil war was brewing between Judah and Israel.  Abner, probably more for his own benefit and power, set up Saul's son Ishbosheth as king of Israel.  God allowed this testing and refining time for David.  After all, David had been just a shepherd boy.  He had a heart for the Lord, but he needed time to mature and develop the leadership qualities to be king.  After all, he was to become Israel's greatest king and from his line of descendants would come the Messiah.  God was preparing David for his awesome role in Biblical history.