*

between them; but after the lapse of two years,* Abner marshalled his forces, and marched to Gibeah, the seat of Saul's family, in the tribe of Benjamin; and consequently where his cause would be very popular. This place, however, was so near to the frontier of Judah, that the placing of an army there could scarcely be regarded in any other aspect than as a menace. Joab was accordingly despatched with a body of troops to observe the movements of the Israelitish general; but apparently with strict orders to act on the defensive. Having so solemnly sworn to Saul that he would not cut off his seed, it is not probable that David felt any desire to provoke a war

* Few passages in the history have called forth more criticism than (2 Sam. ii. 10) this: "Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years." From the general tenor of the history, it seems impossible to limit his reign to this short period. The entire narrative seems to suppose that Ishbosheth reigned at Mahanaim nearly as long as David did at Hebron. Nor, on the supposition that the text, as we have it, is quite correct, is it easy to say when these two years begin or end It seems certain that immediately on the accession of David at Hebron Abner took Ishbosheth, and made him king at Mahanaim; and it appears equally certain that immediately on the death of that king all Israel rallied round David: while the long war between the two kingdoms (2 Sam. iii. 1) with all its changes could not possibly have taken place in two years.

The difficulty has been solved by taking the two years here mentioned as the time that elapsed from the accession of these kings to the breaking out of the war between them. It is therefore proposed to read all but the last clause of the tenth verse before the twelfth, thus: "Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon; the last clause of the tenth and the eleventh verse being clearly a parenthesis. In this view, Poole, Bishop Patrick, and other biblical critics concur.

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between the two houses. Besides, it would have been much more reasonable if they had united the two Hebrew armies, and swept the Philistines from every portion of the Hebrew territory.

But this wise course was not taken. As the men of Israel were ranged on one side of the pool at Gibeon, and the servants of David on the other, Abner proposed that a select number of the warriors on each side should engage before the two armies. Joab assented. Abner, apparently eager for the fray, sent out twelve men of Benjamin, and these were met by an equal number of the soldiers of Judah. On meeting, they assailed each other with such deadly determination that they all fell dead together.

The armies then engaged, and a bloody battle was fought; but the men of Israel gave way before the men of Judah, and fled in disorder, fiercely pursued by their enemies. In this rout Asahel, the brother of Joab, who was remarkable for his swiftness, although without defensive armour, followed Abner so closely and persistently, that the son of Ner, having in vain expostulated with him on his folly, killed him. Abner afterwards called to Joab, and requested him to call back his men from the pursuit. He immediately complied; but he never ceased to entertain deadly hatred to Abner, on account of the death of his brother Asahel.

The war thus begun between the two kingdoms continued a long time, but the results were uniform : "David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker." At length Ishbosheth accused Abner of having had intercourse with Rizpah, who had been a concubine of Saul. There appears to have been not only a personal, but an important political consequence attaching to such conduct, among the Hebrews of this time. When Bath

L

sheba, at the request of Adonijah, solicited Abishag, who had been but nominally a concubine to David, Solomon's reply was, "Why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah ? Ask for him the kingdom also." And for making this request Adonijah was put to death. There seems to have been some connexion, not perceived by us, between marrying the concubine of a deceased monarch, and the laying claim to his kingdom. Had the infamous advice which Ahithophel gave to Absolom, when his father fled from Jerusalem, any reference to a notion of this kind? However this may be, Abner was very indignant at the accusation, and plainly told Ishbosheth that he was indebted to him for his crown and his life, and declared that henceforth he would endeavour to accomplish the Divine purpose, and transfer to David the whole of the Hebrew kingdom, from Dan even to Beersheba. Abner did not intend this to be a mere empty threat, but proceeded at once to put it into execution. He accordingly put himself in communication with David, for the purpose of carrying it into effect. reply declared himself ready to enter ence with him, but positively laid it

The king in into corresponddown as a precethe daughter of

dent condition, that Michal his wife, Saul, who had, after David was driven from his home, been by her father given to Phalti as his wife, should be restored to him. To secure this object, David sent to Ishbosheth, demanding the restoration of Michal. This king, weakened as he was by continued disaster in war, and also terrified by the threatened defection of Abner, dared not refuse. The execution of this concession was confided to the captain-general, who immediately proceeded to comply with the wishes of David.

The command of the king was accordingly sent to Michal. In charge of Abner, she was taken toward

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Hebron. Her husband followed her weeping, until they had passed Jericho, when, at the command of the general, he was compelled to return. This preliminary having been settled, Abner, with twenty attendants, waited on the king at Hebron. David entertained them at a banquet, when the chief promised to gather all Israel, and bring them to submit to David, that he might reign over all the tribes of the Hebrew nation. This being done, Abner retired, to adopt means for effecting the important measure to which he had pledged himself.

Joab, who was absent on a military expedition during this interview, returned in triumph and with great spoil, soon after Abner had left. On hearing what had taken place he was greatly displeased, and reproached the king for his conduct in very uncourtly language, asserting that the purpose of the general was dishonest and deceitful, and merely intended to mislead the king and to obtain information of his state and position. Having thus vented his spleen, he left the royal presence, and, without the knowledge of the king, sent messengers after Abner, requesting him to return. Abner complied, and on his arrival at Hebron, Joab took him aside, as if to speak to him privately; he then plunged his sword into his body, so that he instantly fell dead. This assassination was the plot of Joab and Abishai, and was publicly alleged to have taken place in consequence of the death of their brother Asahel, by the hand of Abner, at the battle of Gibeon. It is probable, however, that other motives influenced them in the perpetration of this murder. Joab and his brother were evidently jealous of the influence which the son of Ner might acquire in the councils and warlike measures of the king, especially if he were the

means of bringing the ten tribes of Israel under his sway. They therefore determined to treat him as a private enemy, and thus to rid themselves of a dangerous and hated rival.

David, for several reasons, was profoundly afflicted at the death of Abner. The murder cast a doubt on the honour of the king. The assassins were the principal officers in his army; Abner was the chief military commander of his rival, the king of Mahanaim; the murdered chief had come to David's court in circumstances which entitled him to perfect protection. Was it not, therefore, very likely that some persons would believe that David had a guilty knowledge of the crime? Wholly innocent as he was, would it not be likely that the friends of Abner, at least, would entertain such thoughts ? Then, the great measure which had just been projected between Davil and Abner, the union of all Israel under the sway of David, and in which the king took the deepest interest, was likely to be delayed, if not entirely defeated, by the loss of such an earnest and influential agent as Abner. And, lastly, David, king as he was, felt himself unable to punish the crime, so that, while denouncing the murder in very strong terms, the humiliating confession was wrung from his lips,-"These men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness." (2 Sam. iii. 39.) But if David could not punish those who committed the crime, he did what he could. He himself attended the funeral and followed the bier, ordered a general mourning on the occasion, and rigidly fasted the whole day of the funeral. David also delivered a brief but touching elegy over the grave of Abner, saying: