2 Samuel 2:13

_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._ Joab the son of Zeruiah. She was one of David's sisters (1 Chronicles 2:16), and mentioned particularly, either from her own personal eminence or from her relationship to the king. The father of Joab was, according to Josephus, called Suri. MET TOGETHER BY THE POOL OF GIBEON (cf. Jeremiah 41:12) - doubtless the reservoir still seen on the eastern slope of the hill (Porter's 'Handbook,' p. 225; Robinson's 'Biblical Researches,' p. 138)....

On the east of the hill (El-jib, the ancient Gibeon) is a copious spring, which issues in a cave excavated in the limestone rock, so as to form a large reservoir. In the trees further down are the remains of a pool or tank of considerable size (120 feet by 110 feet). This is doubtless “the pool of Gibeon.” SAT DOWN - i. e. halted and encamped....

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 JOAB THE SON OF ZERUIAH,.... A sister of David, and this her son was general of David's army: AND THE SERVANTS OF DAVID, WENT OUT; that is, his army went out from Hebron to Gibeon, which was twenty four miles d to meet that under Abner; for though he had but one tribe with him, and Ishbosheth had all the rest, yet Judah was a numerous, powerful, and warlike tribe; and besides many out of the other tribes had joined them, and, above all, God was on their side, and they had his promise to rely upon with respect to the establishment of the kingdom in the house of David, and his power and providence to trust in, and therefore went out boldly and cheerfully to meet the armies of Israel under Abner: AND MET TOGETHER BY THE POOL OF GIBEON; the same perhaps with the great waters in Gibeon, Jeremiah 41:12; and they sat down, the one on t

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

GIBEON. Abner's city, in Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:29; 1 Chronicles 8:30; 1 Chronicles 9:35; 1 Chronicles 9:36)....

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....