2 Samuel 2:12

_AND ABNER THE SON OF NER, AND THE SERVANTS OF ISHBOSHETH THE SON OF SAUL, WENT OUT FROM MAHANAIM TO GIBEON._ Abner ... and the servants of Ish-bosheth ... went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. This town was near the confines of Judah; and as the force with which Abner encamped there seemed to have some aggressive design, David sent an army of observation, under the command of Joab, to watch his movements....

This expedition to Gibeon may have been for the purpose of shifting his metropolis to his own tribe of Benjamin, and to his family place, “Gibeah of Saul,” close to Gibeon, with the further purpose of attacking the kingdom of David. “To go out” 2 Samuel 2:12 is a technical phrase for going out to war 1 Samuel 18:30....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 2:1 UNTO HEBRON. As soon as David had assuaged his grief, his thoughts would naturally turn towards his country. Fuller news would reach him every day respecting the movements of the Philistines, who, after so decisive a victory, would quickly overrun all the central districts of Palestine, where the battle had been fought. And very bitter must David's feelings have been. Had he continued in Israel, he and his six hundred men would now have hastened to the rescue, and all the braver warriors of the land would have gathered round them. As it was, he was too entangled with the Philistines, and too much distrusted by the northern tribes, to be of much use. Still, we learn from 1 Chronicles 12:1; that brave men did continually

AND ABNER THE SON OF NER,.... Who was before captain of Saul's host, and now of Ishbosheth's: AND THE SERVANTS OF ISHBOSHETH THE SON OF SAUL; who seem to be not only his domestic servants, that waited upon him, or his courtiers, but his whole army by what follows: WENT OUT FROM MAHANAIM TO GIBEON; came from the city on the other side Jordan, where perhaps they had been two years past, concerting schemes to bring all Israel under the government of Ishbosheth; in which they had succeeded, only Judah stood out with David; and in order to reduce that tribe, they passed over Jordan and came to Gibeon, a city in Benjamin. See Joshua 18:25....

3. ABNER'S REVOLT AND THE WAR WHICH FOLLOWED CHAPTER 2:8-32 _ 1. Abner makes Ish-bosheth king over Israel (2 Samuel 2:8)_ 2. The defeat of Abner (2 Samuel 2:12) 3. Abner and Joab and Joab's victory (2 Samuel 2:18) God's king began his reign in quietness, and opposition and open revolt followed at once. Abner, who had been the captain of Saul's host, took a son of Saul by the name of Ish-bosheth and made him king in Gilead. The original name of this son was “Esh-baal,” which means “the fire of Baal” (1 Chronicles 8:33). “Ish-bosheth” was his other name; it means “man of shame.” He seem

2 SAMUEL 2-6. (J). APART FROM MINOR ADDITIONS AND CHANGES, IT IS VERY COMMONLY HELD THAT THESE CHAPTER S FORM A CONTINUOUS NARRATIVE FROM THE SAME SOURCE. 2 Samuel 2:1 to 2 Samuel 3:5. Civil War between David, ruling at Hebron, and Ish-bosheth, ruling at Mahanaim (J). 2 SAMUEL 2:1. David occupies Hebron (Judges 1:10 *, p. 31), and is anointed king by the men of Judah, doubtless with the consent of the Philistines, and as their vassal. He thanks the men of Jabesh-gilead for their loyalty to Saul. 2 SAMUEL 2:8. Abner makes

War between Ish-bosheth and David. The Combat at Gibeon 12. _went out_ The technical expression for going to war. Cp. 1 Samuel 18:30. After establishing Ish-bosheth's power over all Israel, Abner turned his arms against Judah, and marched with his army from Ish-bosheth's capital, Mahanaim, to Gibeon, where David's army under the command of Joab met him. _to Gibeon_ The site of Gibeon (_belonging to_, or _built on, a hill_) is fixed with certainty on a rounded hill five miles N.W. of Jerusalem, which still bears the name _El-Jib_. Gibeon was the largest of the four cities of the Hivites (Joshua 10:2), famous for the stratagem by which its inhabitants procured a treaty from Joshua (Joshua 9:3 ff.

_The Contest at Gibeon._ 2 Samuel 2:12-16 12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants og Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. 15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which _pertained_ to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and _thrust_ his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which _is_ in Gibeon. _11._ Who brought on the

DAVID MADE KING OVER JUDAH, ISHDOSHETH OVER ISRAEL. ASAHEL SLAIN BY ABNER 1. Shall I go up?] The defeat and death of Saul had entirely changed David's position. He had, for some time to come, nothing to fear from Abner, who was occupied elsewhere (2 Samuel 2:8). The Philistines would not molest him, as he was their vassal. But even so, he asks God's wishes, before he takes the decisive step. HEBRON] There were several reasons which rendered Hebron suitable. It was fairly central, was a celebrated town, and David had friends there (1 Samuel 30:31). It was 14 m. distant from his birthplace, Bethlehem. No other town in Judah, while Jerusalem was still in Canaanite hands, had the same claim....

DAVID, THE GREAT KING OF ISRAEL 2 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 2 DAVID BECOMES THE KING OF *JUDAH V1 After this, David asked the *Lord, ‘Shall I go to a town in *Judah?’ The *Lord said, ‘Yes.’ David asked, ‘Which town shall I go to?’ The *Lord said, ‘Go to Hebron.’ V2 David had two wives. One wife was Ahinoam who came from the town of Jezreel. His other wife was Abigail. She was the widow of Nabal who came from the