A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

the Lord’s anointed’ “ (v. 16). This does not mean the Amalekite was necessarily guilty, only
that he had made a claim that caused him to appear guilty.
DAVID’S REIGN IN HEBRON
(2 Sam. 2:1-5:12; Ps. 30)
When David learned of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, he “inquired of the Lord, saying,
`Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?’ “ (2 Sam. 2:1) He knew Samuel had anointed him as
king and successor to Saul, but there had always been a question of timing in David’s mind. He
had assumed God would remove Saul from the throne when the time was right, but before
returning to Judah, David wanted to be certain. God assured David he was to return to Hebron
with his men. When David settled in Hebron, “the men of Judah came, and there they anointed
David king over the house of Judah” (v. 4).
As David became king of Judah, he learned it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had
buried the bodies of Saul and his sons who had been slain in battle. David sent a messenger to
the men of that city expressing his own appreciation to them for what they had done and
encouraged them as the newly anointed king of Judah. But it would be seven and a half years
before that city and others of the north would become a part of David’s kingdom.
Abner, Saul’s former captain of the host, remained loyal to the dynasty of Saul and
established a surviving son of Saul, Ishbosheth, on the throne of Israel as king. With the single
exception of the tribe of Judah (which had anointed David as its king), Israel recognized
Ishbosheth as their new king and followed him.
The names of the sons of Saul illustrate how far this king had wandered from his
recognition of the true God of Israel. His oldest son Jonathan was named in recognition that
Jehovah answers prayer. His second son was named Ishuai (Ishvi) probably because of some
physical resemblance to his father. He is also called Abinadab (1 Chron. 8:33), which expressed
Saul’s willingness to serve the Lord. But by the birth of his third son, Saul had turned from the
Lord to himself as the source of the nation’s salvation. Ultimately, he was naming his sons after
the idols which so often caused Israel to wander from God. When Saul died in battle, his oldest
sons died with him, representing his testimony concerning God and himself. All that remained
was his shame.
Having two kings in Israel was bound to create problems, so it is not surprising that much
of David’s reign in Hebron involved him in a civil war. The war began at a meeting of the two
armies by the pool of Gibeon. It appears the meeting was intended to be a peaceful meeting of
the two sides until Joab, David’s general, and his men took twelve of Abner’s men and killed
them with their own swords. “And there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men
of Israel were beaten before the servants of David” (2 Sam. 2:17). At the end of the battle, Judah
had recorded 19 casualties. Abner’s men had lost 360.
So severe was the battle that day that the men of Israel were soon scattered and fleeing
the battle. Among those on the run was Abner himself. As he escaped the battlefield, he was
pursued by Asahel, the brother of Joab. Even at this point in the battle, Abner apparently