The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 181
SECT. CLXXXI.
ABner during the War between David and Iſhboſheth acted very valiantly and ſtrenuouſly for the houſe of Saul, and ſtored himſelf with Armes and Ammunition for that purpoſe, ſo that he had cauſe to think he deſerved well of Iſhboſheth; but at laſt it ſeems Iſhboſheth began to be jealous of him, and to look upon him as one that aſpired to the Crown, and charged him (whither he had ground for it or no is uncertain) that he had gone in to his Fathers Concubine, which he took to be a diſhonour to Saul his Father, and a ſign that he had ſome high thoughts in his mind (a). (d)So we read of Adonijah affecting the Kingdom of David by the like practiſe, 1 King. 2.22.. Abner was exceedingly provoked and enrag'd at this, and angerly reply'd, What, am I a dogs-head? am I ſo mean and vile a perſon in thine eyes that I ſhould be ſchool'd and reprehended for ſuch a matter as this? I, that have ſhewed ſuch kindneſs unto the houſe of thy Father, and to his brethren and friends, and have ſo ſtrenuouſly ſtood up againſt the Tribe of Judah who made David King, and have made thee King over the reſt of Iſrael, and hitherto ſupported thee in thy Kingdom, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, as I might have done: What! am I ſo mean and contemptible a perſon that thou ſhouldſt think it a diſgrace to thy family that I ſhould lye with one of thy Fathers Concubines? God do ſo to me and more alſo, if I do not tranſlate the Kingdom from the houſe of Saul to the houſe of David, and make him King over all Iſrael, even from Dan to Beerſheba as the Lord hath ſworn he ſhould be. So that it is plain that Abner knew very well that God had choſen and appointed David to be King, and yet all this while he had oppoſed him againſt his own knowledg and conſcience for his own worldly and wicked ends. But though he behaved himſelf thus inſolently, yet Iſhboſheth being a low and poor-ſpirited man durſt not anſwer him a word, he ſtood in ſuch fear of him.
Abner purſuant to what he had threatned, ſent meſſengers to David by whom he made his acknowledgment that the whole land did indeed belong to him, whom God by Samuel had anointed to be King over Iſrael, and therefore he reſolved his hand ſhould be with him to bring all Iſrael to be ſubject unto him, provided he would make a League and Covenant with him to pardon all that was paſt, and to receive him into his favour. David returned him an anſwer that all that he deſired was granted, only he muſt not expect to ſee his face except he brought Michal Saul's daughter along with him. That David inſiſted upon this condition needs not ſeem ſtrange if we conſider firſt that ſhe had beeen his firſt wife, and had been faithful to him in preſerving his life, [1 Sam. 19.11, 12.] and had been forced by her father to marry another man when he was fled, 1 Sam. 25.44. And 2ly, David could no way better expreſs his love to her than by reſcuing her from the ſin and miſery of living in adultery. 3ly, He ſaw in policy it imported him to ingratiate himſelf with and gain the love of Sauls kindred and allies, which he could no way better do than by this means. 4ly, He thought he ſhould hereby try the fidelity of Abner. Abner (it ſeems) hereupon adviſed David to ſend to Iſhboſheth for his wife, and then he would ſecond the motion, and procure it to be done. David accordingly ſent Meſſengers to Iſhboſheth, deſiring to have his wife Michal delivered to him, which he had eſpouſed to him for an hundred (e)David was enjoined only to bring an 100, but he brought 200, 1 Sam. 18.25, 27.foreskins of the Philiſtines. Iſhboſheth (being perſwaded by Abner to gratifie David therein) immediately ſent and took her away from Phaltiel her husband, who went along with her as far as Bahurim (a Town in the Tribe of Benjamin) weeping and lamenting that a wiſe ſo noble and beautiful ſhould be taken away from him. But Abner bad him return and comfort himſelf, for 'twas in vain to weep for that which could not be helped. Then Abner in purſuance of his deſign to come in to David, had communication with the Elders of Iſrael, and ſaid to them, Many of you long ago ſought to have David to be King over you, now then I pray let us all agree to it, for the Lord (f)We do not read in the Sacred ſtory where this is expreſly ſpoken, but Joſephus ſaith it was ſpoken by Samuel, and commonly known among the people.hath ſpoken of David, ſaying, by the hand of my ſervant David I will ſave my people Iſrael out of the hands of the Philiſtines, and out of the hands of all their enemies. He having thus ſpoken, received a ſatisfactory anſwer from them, viz. that they would receive David for their King. Then he addreſſeth himſelf to the Tribe of Benjamin, ſpeaking to them to the ſame purpoſe, and he thought it needful to addreſs himſelf in an eſpecial manner to them, becauſe Saul had been of their Tribe, and ſo was chiefly in their favour, and therefore if they gave way to Davids Title, and ſubmitted to his government, little doubt was to be made but that the reſt of the Tribes would ſubmit alſo. Having therefore received ſuch an anſwer from the Elders of Iſrael and Benjamin as ſatisfied him, he to ſhew his great diligence and faithfulneſs in managing Davids buſineſs, went himſelf to carry the news of his good ſucceſs to David at Hebron, (reporting to him all that Iſrael, and eſpecially Benjamin had ſaid) being attended with twenty men, and (as 'tis probable) carried Michal along with him. David received him very graciouſly, and made a great feaſt for him and his company; when that was over, Abner told him he would go and endeavour to get all Iſrael to accept him for their King, and to make a league with him to be ſubject to him that he might reign over them all, even according to his own hearts deſire; ſo David diſmiſſed him in peace. Joab with a Brigade of his Souldiers now returning home from purſuing a Troop of the Philiſtines, or ſome other enemies that had invaded the land, and bringing a great ſpoil along with them, he was told that Abner had been newly with the King, and had been graciouſly received by him▪ and honourably diſmiſt. Joab was enraged at this, and therefore in a bold and inſolent manner he came to the King, and asked him what he had done? He wondered at his imprudence in ſending away ſo dangerous an enemy as Abner was, when he had him in his hands. Thou mighteſt well have known (ſays he) if thou hadſt conſidered it, that Abner is a ſubtile and politick man, and came not for any good end but to deceive thee, and as a ſpy to diſcover thy counſels, and the courſe of thy actions and proceedings. Thus he pretends only David's good, but 'tis like he feared leſt Abner by this important ſervice of coming in to him himſelf, and bringing in the other Iſraelites, ſhould inſinuate himſelf into David's favour, and ſo prove a corrival to him in his honours and preferments; and beſides the death of his brother Aſahel killed by Abner ſtuck in his ſtomack. David (it ſeems) was not much moved by what he ſaid, wherefore Joab flinging away in a diſcontent, when he was come out from the King, he ſent Meſſengers after Abner (and poſſibly in the Kings name who knew nothing of it) who brought him back from the Well Sirah ſituate on the North of Hebron. Abner being returned, Joab took him aſide in the Gate (g)The place of Judicature, and of their publick and ſolemn meetings.(Abiſhai being by, who (it ſeems) was alſo in the Plot, ſee v. 30.) under pretenſe to ſpeak with him peaceably and privately about the Kings affairs, and on a ſudden (he little ſuſpecting any ſuch thing) ſmote him under the fifth rib, ſo that he fell down dead. By this means (though the fact in Joab was baſe and villainous) God puniſhed Abner for his riſing up againſt David, (contrary to his own knowledg and conſcience) to compaſs his wicked end, and for being the occaſion of ſhedding ſo much blood in this war, at which he ſo little ſcrupled. When David heard of the murder of Abner he was extreamly ſurprized at it, and cried out, I and my Kingdom are guiltleſs before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner, let it reſt on the head of Joab and all his Fathers houſe, and let there not fail from the houſe of Joab (as long as his family continueth) one that hath a running iſſue, (for which perſons were debarred from entring into the Congregation, and partaking of the publick Ordinances, Levit. 15.21.) or a leper, or one that leaneth on a ſtaff, (by reaſon of feebleneſs and lameneſs) or that falleth by the ſword, (and ſo dieth an untimely death) or that lacketh bread, and ſo is brought to beggary; let there be ever in Joabs family ſome perſon that is under one or more of theſe Plagues. Then David commanded Joab and all the people that were with him to rend their clothes, and gird themſelves with ſackcloth, to intimate that their hearts were rent with grief for this horrid fact. Then he made a ſolemn and publick Funeral for Abner, and he himſelf followed the Bier with great expreſſions of grief. So they buried Abner in Hebron, and the King lift up his voice at his grave and wept, and the people wept alſo. And the King lamented over Abner, and ſaid, Died Abner like as a fool dieth, that is, as a weak and cowardly man that yieldeth himſelf to be ſlaughtered by his enemy, making little or no reſiſtance. No ſurely, thou didſt not die like a baſe weak captive taken in war, nor as a malefactor bound in chains and fetters, and ſo led out to execution; no, but thou waſt baſely and treacherouſly ſlain. As a man falleth before wicked men ſo felleſt thou; as it might happen to the moſt wiſe and valianteſt man in the world that hath to do with falſe, cowardly, and treacherous men, ſo it hath happened unto thee. And this David ſpake before Joab's face, and branded him with diſhonour and reproach before all the people as a part of his puniſhment for his wicked fact. It ſeems it was the manner at ſolemn Funerals to have a Feaſt provided to refreſh and cheer the gueſts in the time of their mourning, ſee Jer. 16.7, 8. Ezek. 24.17. And ſuch a Feaſt was now provided. But David to expreſs his great and extraordinary grief for Abner, refuſed to eat at it; whereupon the Commanders of the Army, and heads of the people came to him and intreated him not to lay the matter ſo much to heart as to forbear his food. But David ſware to them, ſaying, God do ſo to me and more alſo if I taſte bread, or ought elſe till the Sun be ſet. The people obſerving his carriage therein were highly pleaſed with it, and were glad to ſee him ſo much to reſent the baſe murder of Abner, and with ſo much earneſtneſs to ſeek to clear himſelf thereof; they ſaw plainly that it was not by Davids counſel or inſtigation, either directly or indirectly that Abner was ſlain, but it proceeded meerly from Joab's malice and revenge. And not only David's carriage in this matter concerning Abner pleaſed the people, but generally all things elſe that he did (through his prudence and wiſe conduct) were very pleaſing to them. Indeed whither they liked his not executing juſtice upon Joab at this time is uncertain, but however he was fain to apologize for himſelf, and he ſaid to his ſervants about him, You ſee there is Prince and a great man this day fallen in Iſrael, whoſe blood I would revenge on him that ſhed it, but that he and his Brother Abiſhai (theſe Sons of Zerviah *Zerviah one of Davids Siſters was mother of Joab, Abiſhai, and Aſahel, and Abigail his other Siſter was mother of Amaſa, 2 Sam. 17.25. 1 Chr. 2.15, 16, 17.) are at this time too potent for me, they being in ſo great favour with the people, and commanding the Army, and I my ſelf (though anointed King) yet am at preſent but unſetled in my Kingdom; however the Lord will reward the evil doer at one time or other according to his wickedneſs. But this excuſe was below pious and valiant David, and ſavoured too much of carnal fear, worldly policy; for he having Gods promiſe to eſtabliſh him in the Throne, he needed not to fear the executing of juſtice upon ſo heinous a malefactor as Joab was, notwithſtanding all his power, and the power of his allies. And if juſtice had been now executed on him, Amaſa's death had been prevented, whom Joab afterwards ſlew in a like treacherous manner. See 2 Sam. 20.10. But ſome will ask, Why did not David execute juſtice upon Joab afterwards when he was eſtabliſhed in his Throne? Doubtleſs it was a great fault in him, and before his death he ſeems to have repented of it, which the charge given to his Son Solomon ſeems to imply, 1 King. 2.5, 6. ziz. That he ſhould not let Joab's hoary head go down to the grave in peace.
2 Sam. Ch. 3. from v. 6, to the end.