swords, and catching one another by the head, they held one another fast, and ran each other's swords into their groins, until they all, as it were by mutual agreement, perished together. When these were fallen, the rest of the army came to an obstinate engagement, and Abner's men were beaten; and when they were beaten, Joab did not leave off pursuing them, but he pressed upon them, and excited the soldiers to follow them closely, and not to grow weary of killing them. His brethren also pursued them with great alacrity; and especially the younger Asahel, who was the most eminent of them. He was very famous for his swiftness of foot: for he could not only be too hard for men, but is reported to have over-run a horse, when they had a race together. This Asahel ran violently after Abner; and would not turn in the least out of the straight way, either to one side, or to the other. Hereupon Abner turned back, and attempted artfully to avoid his violence. Sometimes he bade him leave off the pursuit, and take the armour of one of his soldiers; and sometimes, when he could not persuade him so to do, he exhorted him to restrain himself, and not to pursue him any longer, lest he should force him to kill him, and he should then not be able to look his brother in the face. But when Asahel would not admit of any persuasion, but still continued to pursue him; Abner smote him with his spear* as he held it in his flight, and by a back stroke gave him a deadly wound, so that he died immediately. But those that were with him pursuing Abner, when they came to the place where Asahel lay, they stood round about the dead body, and left off the pursuit of the enemy. However, both Joab himself, and his brother Abishai, ran past the corpse, and making their an * The expression in the Bible is,―That with the hinder part of the spear, be smote him under the fifth rib; which Virgil, speaking of a mortal wound, has not unhappily imitated : -Haud multa moratus Excipit in latus, et, qua fata celerrima, crudum i It ought here to be noted, that Joab, Abishai, and Asahel, were all David's nephews, the sons of his sister Zeruiah, as 1 Chron. ii. 16, and that Amasa was also his nephew, by his other sister Abigail, v. 17. ger at the death of Asahel an occasion of greater zeal against Abner, they went on with incredible haste and alacrity, and pursued Abner, to a certain place called Ammah; it was about sunset. Then did Joab ascend a certain hill, as he stood at that place, baving the tribe of Benjamin with him, whence he took a view of them, and Abner also. Hereupon Abner cried aloud, and said, that it was not fit that they should irritate men of the same nation to fight so bitterly one against another; that as for Asahel his brother, he was himself in the wrong when he would not be advised by him not to pursue him any farther; which was the occasion of his death. So Joab consented to what he said, and accepted his words as an excuse about Asahel; and called his soldiers back with the sound of the trumpet, as a signal for their retreat, and thereby put a stop to any farther pursuit. After which Joab pitched his camp there that night. But Abner marched all night, and passed over the river Jordan, and came to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, to Mahanaim. On the next day Joab counted the dead men, and took care of all their funerals. Now there were slain of Abner's soldiers about three hundred and sixty; but of those of David nineteen besides Asahel, whose body Joab and Abishai carried to Bethlehem. And when they had buried him in the sepulchre of their fathers, they came to David to Hebron. From this time, therefore, there began an intestine war, which lasted a great while; in which the followers of David grew stronger, in the dangers they underwent, and the servants and subjects of Saul's sons did almost every day become weaker. About this time,† David was become the father of six sons, born of as many mothers. The eldest was by Abinoam, and he was called Amnon; the second was Daniel, by his wife Abigail; the name of the third was Absalom, by Maachah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, he named Adonijah, by his wife Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abitail; and the sixth he called Ithream, by Eglah. Now while this intestine war went on, and while the subjects of the two kings came frequently to action, it was Abner, general of * 2 Sam. ii. 32. : An. 1090, the host of Saul's son, who by his prudence and the great interest he had among the multitude, made them all continue with Ishbosheth. And indeed it was a considerable time that they continued of his party. But afterwards* Abner was blamed, and an accusation was laid against him, that he had taken indecent liberties with Rispah, the daughter of Aiah, and Saul's concubine ;† so when he was complained of by Ishbosheth he was very uneasy, and angry at it; because he had not justice done him by Ishbosheth, to whom he had shewn the greatest kindness. He therefore threatened that he would transfer the kingdom to David, and demonstrated that he did not rule over the people beyond Jordan by his own abilities and wisdom, but by his warlike conduct and fidelity, in leading his army. So he sent ambassadors to Hebron, and desired that David would give him security upon oath, that he would esteem him his companion and friend; upon condition that he should persuade the people to leave Saul's son, and to choose him the king of the whole country. And when David had made that league with Abner; (for he was pleased with this message to him,) he desired that he would give this as the first mark of performance of the present league, that he might have his wife Michal restored to him, as her whom he had purchased with great hazards, and with those six hundred heads of the Philistines which he had brought to Saul, her father. So Abner took Michal from Phaltiel, who was then her husband, and sent her to David; Ishbosheth himself affording him his assistance: for David had written to him that of right he ought to have his wife restored to bim. Abner also called together the elders of the multitude, the commanders, and captains of thousands and spake * An 1089. What notion the world, at this time, bad of marrying any royal relict, is evi dent from the ease of Adonijah, whom Solomon put to death for desiring but to ask for Abishag, one of David's concubines, though he had employed Bath-sheba, the king's mother, to be his intercessor, and was himself his brother, 1 Kings ii. 17. It may be said perhaps, that Adonijah was at this time aspiring at the throne, which Solomon perceiving, took occasion from this his request, to fall out with him, and prevent it. But however this be, a general rule it was, not among the Jews only, but among other nations, that no private person should presume to marry the king's widow; for this made him appear as a rival and competitor for the crown. Calmet's Comment. B. When thus to them, that, He had formerly dissuaded them from their own resolution, when they were ready to forsake Ishbosheth, and to join themselves to David: that, however, he now gave them leave so to do, if they had a mind to it; for they knew that God had appointed David to be king of all the Hebrews, by Samuel the prophet; and had foretold that he should punish the Philistines, and finally overcome them. Now when the elders and rulers heard this, and understood that Abner was come over to those sentiments about the public affairs which they were of before, they changed their measures, and came in to David. these men had agreed to Abner's proposal, he called together the tribe of Benjamin; (for all of that tribe were the guards of Ishbosheth's body ;) and spake to them to the same purpose. And when he saw that they did not in the least oppose what he said, but resigned themselves up to his opinion, he took about twenty of his friends, and came to David, in order to receive himself security upon oath from him. For we may justly esteem those things to be firmer which every one of us do by ourselves, than those which we do by another. He also gave him an account of what he had said to the rulers, and to the whole tribe of Benjamin. And when David had received him in a courteous manner, and had treated him with great hospitality for many days, Abner, when he was dismissed, desired permission to bring the multitude with him, that he might deliver up the government to him, when David himself was present, and a spectator of what was done. When David had sent Abner away, Joab, the general of his army, came immediately to Hebron; and when he had understood that Abner had been with David, and had parted with him a little before under an agreement that the government should be delivered up to David; he feared lest David should place Abner, who had assisted him to gain the kingdom, in the first rank of dignity; especially since he was a shrewd man in other respects; in understanding affairs, and in managing them artfully, as proper seasons should require; and that he should himself be put lower, and be deprived of the command of the army; so he took a knavish and a wicked course. In the first place he endeavoured to calumniate Abner to the king, exhorting him to have a care of him, and not to give attention to what he had engaged to do for him; because all he did ten ded to confirm the government to Saul's son; that he came to him deceitfully, and with guile, and was gone away in hopes of gaining his purposes by this management. But when he could not thus persuade David, nor saw him at all exasperated, he betook himself to a project bolder than the former. He determined to kill Abner; and in order thereto he sent some messengers after him; to whom he gave in charge, that when they should overtake him, they should recall him in David's name; and tell him, that he had somewhat to say to him about his affairs which he had not remembered to speak of when he was with him. Now when Abner heard what the messengers said, (for they overtook him in a certain place called Bisera, which was disttant from Hebron twenty furlongs ;) he suspected none of the mischief which was befalling him, and came back. Hereupon Joab met him in the gate; and received him in the kindest manner, as if he were Abner's most benevolent acquaintance and friend; for such as undertake the vilest actions, in order to prevent the suspicion of any private mischief, do frequently make the greatest pretence to what good men do sincerely. So he took him aside from his own followers, as if he would speak to him in private, and brought him into a void place of the gate; having himself nobody with him, but his brother Abishai; then he drew his sword, and smote him in the groin; upon which Abner died* by this treachery of Joab's; which, as he said himself, was in way of punishment for his brother Asahel, whom Abner smote and slew as he wus pursuing after him in the battle of Hebron: but as the truth was, out of fear of his losing his command of the army, and his dignity with the king; and lest he should be deprived of those advantages, and Abner should obtain the first rank in David's court. By these examples any one may learn, how many and how great instances of wickedness men will venture upon, for the sake of getting money and authority; and that they may not fail of either of them. For as when they are desirous of obtaining the same, they acquire them by ten thousand evil practices; so when they are afraid of losing them, they get them confirmed by practices * 2 Sam. iii. 27. |