The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 70

Still, Abner did not expect 1my ench retri- e. life of poverty. Thie curse of David ie bution, and supposing that Joab k,iew of regnrded iu the Tnlmud (' Banbedr.,' 48. 2) t.he purpose that he.d brougb t him to Hebron, e.s very sinful. Undeniably it wna uttered he C<\uld not suppose that he would be so in violent itnger, and while Joab's net wne indifferent to bis master's interests A.II to utterly base e.nd porfldious, yet he had the put a summary stop to the negotiations for excuse for it of Asahel's dee.th o.nd David'a uniting the tribc>e under Ditvid. As it we.a, double-dealing. Tho lRtter me.do him this deed brought upon David an evil nnme, conclude the.t the mRn who had killed bis and four or five years had to elap1!6 before brother was II lao to uaurp his place, Pos- the tribes could be induced to take him for sibly this suspicion was not without reaaon, their ling. Even then his hold o..-er them As David we.s strong enough to deprive was fe.r less the.n it would otherwise he.ve Joab of his command, it is plain the.t ho been; for though the shock we.a gradually had nothing to fee.r from telling him his got over, yet the suspicion still clung to plans. Joe.b would he.ve o.ssonted, the him. And if the deed was Joab'e own a.et, blood-feud he.ve been appeased by o. money still David had contributed to it by under- payment, and e.11 gone well. But David, it hand dealings. His very fear of Joab had seems, wished to hold Joab in check by caused him to wrong his e.ble general, and giving at lenst a ·she.re in the command to given him just cause for resentment. the veteran Abner. Ver. 28.-I and my kingdom 8l'0 guiltless. Ver. 80.--J'oab and Abishai his brother, By this De.vid means, not his roye.l house, Nothing is said of Abishe.i ho.ving taken but the people generally, who too often plll't in the murder, but the worda suggest hove to pay the penalty for the sins of their that it we.s a premeditated aot, and that rulers ( see eh. :ui. I). N ecessa.rily this is Abishai was privy to it. the ease, wherever the crime is a state Ver. 31.-David said to J'oab. Theexouse crime ; but David ,protests that Abner's of the blood-fend me.de it impossible for murder was a private crime, for which Joab David to po.nish Joab further than by de- and Abisl,e.i alone ought to suffer. privin~ him of his command; but he made Ver. 29.-Let it rest on the head of J'oab. him condemn his own deed by taking pe.rt The Hebrew word is very strong, "Let it in the public mourning for the me.n he he.d roll itself," or throw itself upon Joe.b's head. murdered. This mourning consisted in The force of the expression thus indicates going in solemn procession, clad in se.ck- the great excitement under which David cloth, before Abner's body, carried on e. bier wo.s labouring; yet even so it was no slight to the grave, while David followed as chief matter to utter so bi~r a curse upon a man mourner; e.nd the emphatic we.y in which so powerful, and whose military skill we.s so he is called King David suggests the thought cseentiul to the maintenance of his throne. that he went in royal state, so BB to give To a man of David's strong sense of justice, all possible dignity to the funeral. His it wns a small matter the.t by Abner's tears and lamentations with uplifted voice murder the kingdom of the ten tribes was were so genuine e.nd hearty as to move the lost i,erhe.ps for ever; whe.t he hated was people to a similar outburst of grief. But the wickedneBS of this mean act of persona.I while all those at Hebron bad proof that reveD,g'e. And thus his imprecations are David was innocent, the people generally all such e.s would be humiliating to a family would know only the.t, when Abner we.s so distinguished for great physice.l e.s well escorting the king's wife back to him, and as mental gifts, as the house of Zeruie.h. lll'ranging for his election to rule over e.11 Nor was David content with this; for we Israel, he was treacherously murdered e.t gather from 1 Chron. xi. 6 that during the the gate of Hebron by one who was chief intervening years Joab was deprived of his over David's army and also his nephew. office, and that he regained it only by e.n Ver. 33.-The king lamented. The word act of daring bravery. (For tLe miserable is the ea.me e.s that used in oh; i. 17. The condition of one suffering with an issue, word rendered "fool" is nabal (for which see l!6tl Lev. xv. 2, etc.; and for that of a I Se.m. xxv. 25). The idea contained in leper, Lev., xiii. xiv.) lo.stead of one that the word is not that of mere silliness, but laaDeth on a irta1f, some translate " a distaff. of worthlessness e.lso; e.nd thua in Pa. xiv. holder," tbe.t is, a poor effeminate creature, 1 we find that the nabal is e.lso an e.theiat. fit only for woman's work. The true sense is Ver. 34.-Thy hands were not bound. probably .. cripple-one who needs a crutch. .Abner had been put to death by Joe.b for That fallsth on the 11Word; more correctly killing Asahel But there he.d been no the Revised Version, thatfallefh/,y theBWOrd. legal process. He had not been brought in The two la.at imprecations mean that if any fetters before a judge to be tried for the of the race of J oab e.nd .A.bishe.i eece.pe th8"A crime alleged, but murdered for private ends. personal blemishes, yet that his fate shall And thus, "As a man fe.lleth before the be, in Wlll' an inglorious death, and in pea.cc children of iniquity, so had he fallen," tbe.t Cltt. nt 1-80.) THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEt. 00