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, and then 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, Joab and Abishai, Asahel's brothers, did pursue after Abner.  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 he 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.

David Spares Saul's Life Again

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 26:1) And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Does David not hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, before Jeshimon?"

David had gone to Carmel where he met and married Abigail.  He apparently then hid out in a hill of Hachilah before Jeshimon which was a wilderness north of Hachilah.  Being in close proximity to Ziph, the Ziphites knew David's movements and went to Saul a second time to tell on David (1 Samuel 23:19).  It seems strange that David would hide out in the same area where the Ziphites had told on him before, but perhaps he wanted to stay close to Abigail's home.  This map at Bible Hub shows where Ziph and Hachilah were in relation to Carmel:

(2) Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

So much for the good will Saul had seemed to offer after David had spared his life in the cave (1 Samuel 24:17-20), when he heard where David was hiding, his anger toward David was renewed, and he went to the wilderness of Ziph to seek him, taking 3000 choice men, meaning surely men of war, with him.

(3) And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah before Jeshimon, by the road.  But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

Saul encamped at the hill of Hachilah by the road.  David had moved to the wilderness around Hachilah and saw that Saul had come after him.

(4) David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul had indeed come. (5) And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

David had sent out spies who confirmed that Saul had indeed come.  He then went to where Saul was encamped and saw him in the trench with Abner, the captain of his army, and the rest of his army pitched around him.

(6) Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will go down with you."

David spoke to two men with him, Ahimelech, probably a Hittite at birth who had converted, and Abishai, who was the son of David's sister, Zeruiah, as was Joab.  He asked which one of them would go with him down to Saul's camp, and his nephew, Abishai, said he would go with him.

(7) So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster, and Abner and the people lay round about him.

David and Abishai went to Saul's camp at night.  Saul was sleeping in the trench with his spear stuck in the ground at his pillow, or whatever he was using as a headrest.  Abner and the rest of his army lay all around him.

(8) Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day; now therefore, let me strike him, I pray you, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not strike him the second time."

I believe the sense of what Abishai said to David was that the Lord had delivered Saul to him, and he asked that he be allowed to strike Saul with a spear clear to the ground, and he would not have to strike a second time because Saul would surely be dead.

(9) And David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?"

However, David told Abishai not to kill Saul, because he believed no one was able to raise a hand against the Lord's anointed king and not incur guilt for his actions.

(10) David said furthermore, "As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish. (11) The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed, but I pray you, take now the spear that is at his bolster, and the jug of water, and let us go."

David told Abishai the Lord would take his own anointed king in His time in His manner, so he would not dream of doing it himself.  However, he did tell Abishai to take Saul's spear and a jug of water which would be sufficient to let Saul know they had been there and what they could have done if they so desired.

(12) So David took the spear and the jug of water from Saul's bolster, and they got away, and no man saw nor knew, neither awaked, for they were all asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

It was David, in fact, who took the spear and the jug of water.  Perhaps the meaning of verse 11 was more like, "let us take the spear...and go."  Even though Saul was surrounded by his captain and all his army, none of them awakened because the Lord had caused a deep sleep to come over them.  David and Abishai got away unnoticed.

(13) Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great space between them, (14) And David cried to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, saying, "Do you not answer, Abner?" Then Abner answered and said, "Who are you who cries to the king?"

David went away from the camp and stood on a hill far away, but close enough, that the people would hear him when he shouted.  It seems David must have been crying out before Abner actually heard him, as he cried out to Abner to answer him as if he had not answered his previous call.  Abner asked who it was who was calling to the king.  Again, it seems evident David had been calling out to Saul before he was heard or was acknowledged.

(15) And David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept your lord, the king? For there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. (16) This thing is not good that you have done. As the Lord lives, you are worthy to die because you have not kept your master, the Lord's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the jug of water that was at his bolster."

David sarcastically asked Abner if he was a man like no other in Israel, and if so, why then had he let someone have access to the king to destroy him?  David told Abner he was worthy of death because he had not protected the king.  He then showed him where the king's spear and jug of water were that had been at the king's headrest while he slept.

(17) And Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And David said, "My voice, my lord, O king."

Saul knew David's voice and called out to ask if it was indeed David's voice he heard.  It's interesting that Saul still called him, "my son," even though he had given David's wife to someone else and pursued him to kill him.  David answered that it was indeed him.

(18) And he said, "Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil in my hand? (19) Now therefore, I pray you, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering, but if the children of men, cursed they before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, 'Go serve other gods.'"

David asked Saul why he pursued him and what he had done to stir him up against him.  He said if it was the Lord who had stirred Saul up against him, then let Him receive an offering, probably meaning himself that he would give if it was indeed the Lord's will.  I don't think David would have used such flippant language if he was sincere about an offering to the Lord to appease His anger toward himself or Saul, either one.  His point was that if God had stirred Saul to kill him, then so be it.  However, if it was men by lies and slanders, then let them be cursed before God because they had driven an innocent man away from his inheritance and forced him to dwell among pagan idolaters.

(20) "Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains."

David asked that Saul not spill his blood before the Lord who knew who was righteous and would surely avenge his death.  And that was because Saul hunted someone as insignificant as a flea, or as one out bird hunting.

(21) Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm because my soul was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly."

Saul once again softened toward David, even acknowledging his sin this time which is more than he did the first time David spared his life (1 Samuel 24:17).  He told David to return to his home for he would do him no harm because he had spared his life that day.  He admitted that he had been foolish and mistaken about David.

(22) And David answered and said, "Behold the king's spear! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it."

David returned Saul's spear to him.  However, he asked that one of Saul's young men go and fetch it from David, as he was not so trusting of Saul's apparent change of heart to go down and deliver it to him himself.

(23) "The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord delivered you into my hand today but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. (24) And behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation."

David went on to suggest that the Lord be the one to render judgment to every man, or perhaps his point was that he had faith that the Lord would render to him according to his faithfulness.  After all, the Lord had delivered Saul into his hand that day, but he would not dare to strike the Lord's anointed.  Then he proposed to Saul that as he had valued Saul's life that day, so let the Lord value his (David's) life and deliver him out of his tribulation.  It's noteworthy that he did not say that Saul should value his life as David had valued his.  He had no confidence in Saul to do the fair thing, but he knew he could depend on his Lord.

(25) Then Saul said to David, "Blessed you, my son David; you shall both do great and also shall still prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Saul offered a blessing to David and called him his son again.  He acknowledged that David would go on to do great things, and he would prevail, which seems to be a realization that David would prevail against Saul himself and all his enemies.  So he returned to his palace, and David went on his way.  John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, tells us that this was the last time Saul and David saw each other.  It seems Saul may have finally come to the full realization that the Lord was with David, and he would indeed prevail against him and his army of David's enemies.