Saul : and Abner, filled with resentment, deter- mined to transfer his allegiance to David, and to carry over all the eleven tribes with him. Ishbosheth, knowing that Abner's influence would effect this measure, acquiesced in it, and submitted to the terms prescribed by David as a preliminary to the league which should be made between them : he sent and took Michal, Saul's daughter, from Phaltiel her husband, and gave her up to David, from whom she had been wrongfully withheld. Every thing was now ready to be carried into execution : Abner had succeeded in his conference with David, and nothing remained but to bring over the heads of the eleven tribes to the plan proposed. But behold, the trea- chery of Joab defeated and destroyed the plan. Joab, just returned from an expedition against the Philistines, heard what Abner had done ; and imme- diately expostulated with David on his credulity, for suffering Abner so to impose upon him : and then, sending privately in David's name to Abner, as though some further communication with him was wanted, he met Abner on his return, and took him aside, and slew him.
This murderous act of Joab's, together with its attendant circumstances, will furnish us with some very useful, and, at this time, seasonable ^ obser- vations.
We observe then,
I. That there is no crime so atrocious, but a person under the influence of a vindictive spirit will commit it —
[Revenge was the principle from which Joab, in concert with his brother Abishai, acted on this occasion '^i Abner had slain his brother Asahel ; and they sought to avenge liis death. But if they had candidly considered, they might have found in this matter an occ9^sion for gratitude rather than resentment : for Abner had exercised towards Asahel a forbearance and tenderness that could not reasonably have been expected ; nor
^ Just after the assassination of Mr. Perceval, before the present- ing to the Prince Eegent the Address from Cambridge. «= ver. 27, 30.