Joab Murders Abner
26 When Joab left David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know about it. 27 So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the middle of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the belly, so that he died on account of the blood of his brother Asahel. 28 Afterward, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May it turn upon the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and may there not be eliminated from the house of Joab someone who suffers a discharge, or has leprosy, or [q]holds the spindle, or falls by the sword, or lacks bread.” 30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
David Mourns Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David walked behind the bier. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king raised his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33 And the king sang a song of mourning for Abner and said,
“Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in bronze shackles;
As one falls before the [r]wicked, you have fallen.”And all the people wept over him again. 35 Then all the people came to provide [s]food for David in his distress while it was still day; but David vowed, saying, “May God do so to me, and more so, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.” 36 Now all the people took note of David’s vow, and it [t]pleased them, just as everything that the king did [u]pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been the desire of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death. 38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a leader and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39 And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer in proportion to his evil.”
David’s reaction to the death of Abner is somewhat incredible to me. Though after all we’ve read about him so far, perhaps it shouldn’t be. We know David loved God and trusted Him immensely.
First he shows integrity in morning for the commander of Ish-bosheth’s army, but he does not deliver vengeance himself. Twice he calls upon God to repay the “evildoer”. Most kings would have struck someone dead for defying their word and going behind their back to do something like this.
But David leaves it in God’s hands. He has trusted God with his life all along, and David isn’t about to stop now. He trusts that God will take care of righting the wrongs of Joab, and leaves it at that.
Can we do that? When we are wronged, or someone betrays our trust, how easy is it to trust God and let Him handle the results. How often are we tempted, and how often do we give in and take matters into our own hands?
Do not fall into the trap of revenge! Let God take His rightful role in your life, and leave it to His judgment. Further, follow the words of Jesus, and love those who hurt you, and see what God can do in your life… and maybe even in theirs!