2nd Samuel 2 CIVIL WAR In the plans of God there is a "course of time" in which His work is to be carried out. David wisely waited for as long as necessary for the kingdom of Israel under Saul's leadership to be concluded. He knew it was God's will that he be king because to that end Samuel had anointed him a number of years before. He was not power-hungry nor was he grabbing for a position when he asked for God's guidance now that there was a vacancy in the leadership of God's people. By faith he recognized God knew the whole situation and simply acted in wisdom for divine guidance. It is never wrong for us when we are in doubt about the will of God, to ask specific questions and then wait for clear answers.
When David, his family and those who followed him arrived in Hebron, it was under the authority of divine direction. Hebron was the largest city in Judah and was a geographical center with roads coming to it from different directions. There apparently were villages around it and because of its size and location, it was a secure area. Added to that is the fact that the men of Judah all gathered together there to inaugurate David as their king. His office as king had long been established. Now it was time for him to go forward in divinely appointed leadership. To act in haste can create unnecessary problems, but also to lag behind can leave a gap that is hard to fill if left in uncertainty.
The men of Hebron recognized and submitted to David's leadership for seven and a half years before the rest of the nation turned to David for leadership. Apparently, Abner, a commander in Saul's army and Saul's cousin, was really the leader of the ten tribes for five years before he put Ish-Bosheth, a son of Saul, into the position of leadership from a city on the east side of Jordan. In essence he was a pawn of Abner who put him into that role and intimidated him to rule in Abner's way for two years.
David's commendation of the men of Jabesh-Gilead was a good act of diplomacy in which those who had appreciation for the deliverance from the Philistines under the leadership of Saul were commended. Therefore, they took the body of Saul and buried it with a certain dignity appropriate to a king who had been designated by God as Israel's first king. The location of Jabesh-Gilead was near the city from which Ish- Bosheth was living. His message was clear that he would show them favor as the king of Judah even though they were not living in Judah. There is often an opportunity to settle differences of opinion without confrontation if we are willing to look for reason to encourage and bless others. "A soft answer turneth away wrath" really does make it much easier for two opposing parties to come together and conclude a matter with dignity and yet each party retain their honor and individuality.
Abner, Saul's cousin, and Joab, David's nephew, were probably in opposition since the time when Saul was hunting David to kill him. Abishai and Asahel also probably had a bitterness against those of Saul's household and those who followed him to kill David their kinsman. Bitterness has a way of defiling many and the "battle-by-proxy" in which twenty-four men died in hand-to-hand combat ended in full scale civil war. The death of Asahel at the bottom end of Abner's spear infuriated Joab who was prepared to attack the losing army by himself with his brother Abishai. The battle by proxy didn't accomplish a thing and the battle that followed didn't either. Civil strife usually is caused by stubbornness, which many think is necessary to retain their honor or gain. Persistence in a good thing is a valuable trait. Stubbornness promotes disunity. A goal must be right and worthy of our commitment before we pursue it with vigor.