By the end of 1 Samuel, the kingdom of Saul is left in chaos. Saul and his older sons are dead, the Philistines control virtually all of Israel, and the nation is reeling from defeat. The book of 2 Samuel opens with the sad news coming to David in Ziklag.

Three days after David’s victory, a man carried the news of Saul’s defeat into Ziklag. He colored the story to make himself a hero and valued ally of David, by claiming to have finished Saul off in a mercy-killing. In support for his story, he produced the armband and crown belonging to Saul and presented them to David. He was unprepared for the immediate outpouring of grief and lamentation over Saul, Jonathan and the rest of the nation of Israel. After a day-long mourning period, David pointed out the Amalekite’s self-condemnation and had him killed, supposing he was responsible for Saul’s death.

David then composed a lament that has furnished the inspiration for countless works of literature and poetry. He cursed the mountains of Gilboa and extolled the exploits of Saul and Jonathan.

David inquired of God and was directed to go to Hebron and settle there. He and his men and all their families set out from Ziklag and settle in and around Hebron. Then the men of Judah crowned David their king. He immediately made a peace overture to the town of Jabesh Gilead for their compassionate treatment of Saul and his sons.

The youngest son of Saul, Ish-Bosheth, was set up as king over the remaining holdings in the north, which included Ephraim, Benjamin and the rest of Israel. He was 40 when he began to reign, but the kingdom was divided. The two commanders of the armies met at the pool of Gibeon, a site near the border of the two areas of influence.

Abner, Ish-Bosheth’s commander, suggested a small-scale combat assuming his trained fighters would vanquish Joab’s rabble. In fact, it was a draw, with all two dozen killing each other. The battle rapidly spread and involved both armies. Abner’s force was defeated and began to flee. Joab was not only David’s commander, he was also David’s nephew, as were Abishai and Asahel. In the pursuit, young Asahel focused only on catching Abner, who urged him to select another target. When Asahel refused, Abner suddenly killed him by impaling him with the butt of his spear.

Abner then formed up some men of Benjamin and took their stand on a hilltop. When Joab and his men arrived, Abner called out to him, warning him of endless bloodshed and national feud. Joab called off the attack and recalled his men. Abner’s force had lost far more than Joab’s. Both groups undertook night marches to retreat to safe territory, but Abner’s flight was 30 miles in the dark.

The civil war continued and David continually grew stronger. In the realm of Ish-Bosheth, Abner had helped himself to a former concubine of Saul, and Ish-Bosheth confronted him about it. In anger, Abner promised to deliver the kingdom over to David. He contacted David, who agreed to meet with him only if Abner brought along Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife. Abner brought her and made a pact with David, representing the men of Israel, including the tribe of Benjamin.

After Abner left David to finalize the national reunion, Joab arrived and learned what had happened. He sent a runner to recall Abner. When Abner arrived, Joab murdered him to avenge Asahel’s death in battle. David proved his innocence by forcing Joab to lead the funeral procession clothed in sackcloth. David mourned and fasted.

After Abner’s death, Saul’s camp was left without a strong leader. Two sub-commanders decided to fulfill Abner’s earlier purpose and deliver the kingdom over to David. They sneaked into Ish-Bosheth’s house as he napped in the afternoon, and murdered him, cutting off his head as proof. Then they escaped by night and rushed to David, perhaps expecting a reward and commission in his army.

Confronted by the proof of their treachery, David exposed them as nothing more than vicious killers. He ordered them killed for their self-confessed crime and had their mutilated bodies exposed in public as a deterrent. Ish-Bosheth’s head was buried with his commander, Abner, at Hebron. There was no leader in the north, and David’s kingdom was secure in the south.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why did the Amalekite lie about Saul’s death? What did he expect from David for his news? Why did David have the man killed? Why did David pronounce a curse on the mountains of Gilboa?

2. How did David demonstrate his political ability in the events after his crowning? Why did the nation divide between Judah and Ephraim? Why did Abner suggest a combat between his men and Joab’s?

3. Why did Joab heed Abner’s call to cease the battle before it became completely overwhelming? Why did Joab’s group retreat when they had clearly won a victory? What kind of feat was it for Abner’s men to retreat 30 miles in the dark and cross the Jordan in order to get away?

4. How large do you think the battles of the Israelite civil war typically were? What did it mean for Abner to take one of Saul’s concubines? Why did Ish-Bosheth confront him about it, then drop the subject when Abner threatened him? Why did Joab take it upon himself to murder Abner when David clearly was entering an alliance with him?

5. Why did the two sub-commanders of Ish-Bosheth suddenly turn on him and murder him? What did they expect from David for their news? What could the northern tribes expect in their future with no leader and a stronger than ever David to their south? What should the northern tribal leaders have done at that point?