And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier.
Joab has murdered Abner, the commander who had just brokered peace between Israel and David. David does not grieve in private. He orders Abner's killers into mourning clothes, and he walks behind the bier himself.
The bier is not a coffin as we picture one today:
A light frame or couch on which the dead could be carried. 2 Sam. 3:31; Luke 7:14. The Hebrew word mittah is often translated 'bed.'
Commentators find two motives behind the killing:
Joab commits murder in a time of peace, and so avenges himself for Asahel's death. Yet Abner had killed him "in the battle" (v. 30), which proves there was nothing blameworthy in Abner's act... This is the personal motive behind this terrible act. But anyone who knows Joab and his ambition to become commander of the army suspects another motive. Joab fears Abner's worth and authority, which at that time stood out far more than his own merits.
David's mourning carried his verdict on Joab — and the limit of his power:
David's fasting and tears showed how deeply he felt Abner's death, and how rightly he judged Joab's wrongdoing. Sadly, his power was not equal to his heart.
David had more than mourning at his disposal:
Joab had been guilty of cold-blooded, planned murder, and for this he deserved the death penalty. Soon after, David ordered the death of the two men who murdered Ish-bosheth (ch. 4:10-12). The murder of Abner was just as serious. But because Joab was captain of his army, David treated him differently. There is no word of David even speaking to Joab about this, let alone taking stronger action against him. In this the weakness of David's kingdom shows from the beginning.
after_note: DISCUSS
David can put sackcloth on Joab's back. He cannot put sorrow in his heart:
David does tell Joab and all the people to tear their clothes and put on sackcloth in mourning for Abner. For Joab and Abishai this would only be a false show, since they had no regrets about Abner's death. But David followed the coffin and wept at the grave of Abner, and the people followed his example. His lament would no doubt make Joab feel uncomfortable.
Abner had offered to bring all Israel over to David. One writer sees God refusing to let the throne come that way:
But God is against this. He does not want David to receive the kingdom from any hand but His own. No one is to boast of having put the Lord's anointed on the throne... So Abner is murdered. God can turn man's very worst evils to carry out His purposes. He uses Joab's shameful act to cut off the man David had already trusted.
The same loss is read as training for the king himself:
Deep discipline was there in this sad occurrence... he must learn not to build his hopes on any; and even this, the Lord in the end turned to his advantage; for the people took note of his great grief, and it pleased them. What man would pronounce a great misfortune, God can convert into the opposite for His servant.
Israel watched a king grieve, and drew its own conclusion:
David's humiliation, his fasting, his public mourning in the presence of all the people — this is what wins over Israel. "So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to put to death Abner the son of Ner" (v. 37).
Torn clothes and sackcloth were the usual signs of grief, and God asks for something behind them:
It was the habit of the Hebrews, as it still is in the East, to make a great show of their mourning. They would beat their breasts, cover their heads, fast, put dust and ashes on their heads, neglect their hair, wear dull-coloured clothes, tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and so on... God does not want those who are grieving to feel nothing. The Lord wept at the grave of Lazarus, but He would have reality in all things. He had to say to His people, "Rend your hearts and not your garments." Joel 2:13.
- Crime — Joab killed Abner in peacetime, part revenge for Asahel, part fear of a rival for command of the army.
- Command — David could put sackcloth on Joab's back. The order reached only the outside. His own tears at the grave were real.
- Weakness — He put later murderers to death, yet spared his own general. Writers mark this as a flaw in his kingdom from the start.
- Purpose — God refused to let David owe his throne to Abner's scheming, and turned even a murder to His own ends.
- Reality — The nation believed David because his grief was real. God asks for torn hearts, not torn garments.
And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth?
Abner, the general who had kept Saul's house on the throne, had just come over to David's side — and Joab killed him at the gate of Hebron. David buries him with honour, and his song at the grave turns on one question: was this the death such a man should have died?
David asks it in public, at the grave, and one writer notes who was meant to feel it:
David, following the coffin, wept at the grave of Abner, and the people followed his example. His lamentation would no doubt make Joab feel uncomfortable.
Abner was not a condemned criminal led out to execution. He walked into Hebron a free man, at peace. David spells that out: no bonds, no chains — he fell the way a man falls before the wicked. The same writer still finds Abner careless. He knew trouble was coming, and he knew where safety lay — a city of refuge was a town where a man who had killed someone could not be touched by revenge:
If Abner had been on guard, he would have made sure to at least get inside the city of refuge before meeting Joab. He had already expected that killing Asahel would provoke Joab's anger (ch. 2:22). But his wisdom deserted him at that time, and he fell as "before wicked men."
David names no one in the song. One writer names Joab, and gives two reasons for what he did:
Joab commits murder in a time of peace, and so avenges himself for Asahel's death. Yet Abner had "slain him in the battle" (v. 30), which proves there was nothing blameworthy in Abner's act (compare 2 Sam. 2:20-23). That is the personal motive behind this terrible act. But anyone who knows Joab and his ambition to become captain of the army suspects another motive. Joab fears Abner's worth and authority, which at that time stood out far more than his own merits. If Abner succeeded in sealing the alliance, wouldn't he take first place? Joab has everything to gain by his revenge.
Abner had spent years fighting to keep David off the throne. David still weeps for him, and in the same song passes verdict on his own general. One writer traces that generosity to something beyond natural warmth:
It was a fine feeling, and this, I am persuaded, came from higher than human sources. But while his was a generous heart, there was something else at work. It was of God, and it gave that heart its true direction and kept it strong despite every circumstance… He judged truly even of his own commander-in-chief, as one may call Joab.
The lament honours Abner, but one writer does not idealise him. He places him beside Joab as the better of two men who both served themselves instead of God's chosen king:
It is Joab, a clever, ambitious, bloody-minded and heartless man. It is Abner, a better man than Joab, but one who fights by the principles of mere human nature. He is a party man, fighting against the king whom God has chosen… Once his pride is wounded, he throws himself into David's interests, and Joab kills him as much from jealousy as to avenge his brother's death.
David left Joab alive. One writer follows the account to its settlement, and sees God's own government in Abner's death:
David also said that in Abner's death a prince and a great man had fallen, and that the LORD would avenge his death. That happened later: following David's dying instruction, King Solomon gave the order, and Benaiah killed Joab. Yet without doubt the holy government of God was fulfilled in the death of Abner. Personal irritation turned him round to David, and yet he knew well, while he was upholding the house of Saul, that David was God's anointed king.
Abner had set out to make David king by his own arrangement. Another writer asks what that was worth:
But was it God's way and God's plan to have His anointed made king through such an instrument? Abner's death put an end to his plans, and that gives the answer.
- Question. David does not accuse; he asks. And he asks in public, where Joab has to stand and listen.
- Unbound. Hands free, feet free: no trial, no sentence, no fight. He fell the way a man falls before the wicked.
- Criminals. Joab struck in a time of peace, and the revenge excuse fails: Asahel had died in open battle. Behind it lay Joab's fear of a rival who outshone him.
- Grace. David weeps over a man who fought to keep him off the throne. In the same song he convicts his own general — a generosity one writer traces to God, not to temperament.
- Government. Abner knew David was God's anointed, and propped up Saul's house anyway. His death ended a plan God never authorised — and later the same government reached Joab.
Thy hands were not bound, Nor thy feet put into fetters; As a man falleth before wicked men, Fellest thou! And all the people wept again over him.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down!
David's fast ends a day of public mourning for Abner, the commander murdered just as he was set to hand David the whole kingdom. The people press food on him before sundown, but he swears an oath instead — with a watching nation deciding whether to trust him.
David had already torn his clothes and wept at Abner's grave. Refusing food while the sun was still up added something those acts alone could not prove.
David further proved his mourning was genuine by refusing to eat until the sun was down (v.35). This impressed the people, and they fully realized that David did not approve the killing of Abner.
Why did Joab kill Abner? Commentators find more than one motive.
Joab commits murder in a time of peace, and so avenges himself for Asahel's death. Yet Abner had killed Asahel in battle (v. 30), which proves there was nothing blameworthy in what Abner did. That is the personal motive behind this terrible act. But anyone who knows Joab and his ambition to become commander of the army suspects another motive. Joab fears Abner's worth and authority, which at that time stood out far more than his own merits.
Israel still had to make up its mind about David. One writer points to what settled it.
What gains the heart of Israel is the king's anger against this evil. It is his distress over a crime that had dishonored the character of the Lord and of His anointed. David's humiliation, his fasting, his public mourning in the presence of all the people — this is what wins over Israel.
David does not take revenge on Joab. He hands the matter to God.
He refuses to share in this evil in any way, and so proves that he was in every way pure in the matter (2 Cor. 7:11). He calls down God's judgment on Joab... And again he asks the Lord to repay the doer of evil according to his wickedness (v. 39). Later God carried out this judgment that David had pronounced (1 Kings 2:31-34).
The chapter closes with David admitting he cannot control the men who hold up his throne. Older translations have him say, "I am this day weak, though anointed king." The ESV reads, "And I was gentle today, though anointed king." One writer sees a clear-eyed confession here.
A single eye is always full of light. David could not shake off these men, and he did lean on them too much as the supports of his throne. Still, he does judge what was unworthy of the name of Jehovah, and what his own soul hated.
Another turns the same admission into a lesson for the reader:
God will be your strength and your safeguard in weakness. He will keep your feet from falling if you seek your strength in communion with Him. This is true for us too. Two things always go together as our safeguard: knowing our own weakness, and depending on God and His Word. In this chapter David began by using his power. He acted on his own and did not consult the Lord. The events that overwhelm him make him aware of his own inability.
Behind the whole grim episode, commentators see a purpose.
God is opposed to this; He does not wish David to receive the kingdom from any hand other than His own. No one is to boast of having put the Lord's anointed on the throne... God is able to turn man's very worst sins to fulfill His plans. He uses Joab's shameful act to cut off the man David had already trusted.
- Motive. Joab killed in peacetime to avenge Asahel — and to remove a rival whose standing outshone his own.
- Proof. Refusing food before sundown proved David's tears were real, not a show for a watching nation.
- Persuasion. Israel accepted David not through argument or force, but because their king grieved over a crime done in his name.
- Restraint. David could not punish Joab, so he handed the judgment to God — and God carried it out in due time.
- Weakness. David called himself weak even as the anointed king. Our safeguard is the same: know your own weakness and depend on God. He can build a throne without help from an Abner or a Joab.