patriarchs and prophets-第162节

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traitor's　throne；　God　had　chosen　him　to　be　king　of　Israel；　and　there　had
been　no　occasion　for　distrust　or　opposition。　Yet　hardly　had　his　authority
been　acknowledged　by　the　men　of　Judah；　when　through　the　influence　of　Abner；
Ishbosheth；　the　son　of　Saul；　was　proclaimed　king；　and　set　upon　a　rival
throne　in　Israel。

Ishbosheth　was　but　a　weak　and　incompetent　representative　of　the　house　of
Saul；　while　David　was　pre…eminently　qualified　to　bear　the　responsibilities
of　the　kingdom。　Abner；　the　chief　agent　in　raising　Ishbosheth　to　kingly
power；　had　been　commander…in…chief　of　Saul's　army；　and　was　the　most
distinguished　man　in　Israel。　Abner　knew　that　David　had　been　appointed　by　the
Lord　to　the　throne　of　Israel；　but　having　so　long　hunted　and　pursued　him；　he
was　not　now　willing　that　the　son　of　Jesse　should　succeed　to　the　kingdom　over
which　Saul　had　reigned。

The　circumstances　under　which　Abner　was　placed　served　to　develop　his　real
character　and　showed　him　to　be　ambitious　and　unprincipled。　He　had　been
intimately　associated　with　Saul　and　had　been　influenced　by　the　spirit　of　the
king　to　despise　the　man　whom　God　had　chosen　to　reign　over　Israel。　His　hatred
had　been　increased　by　the　cutting　rebuke　that　David　had　given　him　at　the
time　when　the　cruse　of　water　and　the　spear　of　the　king　had　been　taken　from
the　side　of　Saul　as　he　slept　in　the　camp。　He　remembered　how　David　had　cried
in　the　hearing　of　the　king　and　the　people　of　Israel；　〃Art　not　thou　a　valiant
man？　and　who　is　like　to　thee　in　Israel？　wherefore　then　hast　thou　not　kept
thy　lord　the　king？　。　。　。　This　thing　is　not　good　that　thou　hast　done。　As　the

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Lord　liveth；　ye　are　worthy　to　die；　because　ye　have　not　kept　your　master；　the
Lord's　anointed。〃　This　reproof　had　rankled　in　his　breast；　and　he　determined
to　carry　out　his　revengeful　purpose　and　create　division　in　Israel；　whereby
he　himself　might　be　exalted。　He　employed　the　representative　of　departed
royalty　to　advance　his　own　selfish　ambitions　and　purposes。　He　knew　that　the
people　loved　Jonathan。　His　memory　was　cherished；　and　Saul's　first　successful
campaigns　had　not　been　forgotten　by　the　army。　With　determination　worthy　a
better　cause；　this　rebellious　leader　went　forward　to　carry　out　his　plans。

Mahanaim；　on　the　farther　side　of　Jordan；　was　chosen　as　the　royal　residence；
since　it　offered　the　greatest　security　against　attack；　either　from　David　or
from　the　Philistines。　Here　the　coronation　of　Ishbosheth　took　place。　His
reign　was　first　accepted　by　the　tribes　east　of　Jordan；　and　was　finally
extended　over　all　Israel　except　Judah。　For　two　years　the　son　of　Saul　enjoyed
his　honors　in　his　secluded　capital。　But　Abner；　intent　upon　extending　his
power　over　all　Israel；　prepared　for　aggressive　warfare。　And　〃there　was　long
war　between　the　house　of　Saul　and　the　house　of　David：　but　David　waxed
stronger　and　stronger；　and　the　house　of　Saul　waxed　weaker　and　weaker。〃

At　last　treachery　overthrew　the　throne　that　malice　and　ambition　had
established。　Abner；　becoming　incensed　against　the　weak　and　incompetent
Ishbosheth；　deserted　to　David；　with　the　offer　to　bring　over　to　him　all　the
tribes　of　Israel。　His　proposals　were　accepted　by　the　king；　and　he　was
dismissed　with　honor　to　accomplish　his　purpose。　But　the　favorable　reception
of　so　valiant　and　famed　a　warrior　excited　the　jealousy　of　Joab；　the
commander…in…chief　of　David's　army。　There　was　a　blood　feud　between　Abner　and
Joab；　the　former　having　slain　Asahel；　Joab's　brother；　during　the　war　between
Israel　and　Judah。　Now　Joab；　seeing　an　opportunity　to　avenge　his　brother's
death　and　rid　himself　of　a　prospective　rival；　basely　took　occasion　to　waylay
and　murder　Abner。

David；　upon　hearing　of　this　treacherous　assault；　exclaimed；　〃I　and　my
kingdom　are　guiltless　before　the　Lord　forever　from　the　blood　of　Abner　the
son　of　Ner。　Let　it　rest　on　the　head　of　Joab；　and　on　all　his　father's　house。〃
In　view　of　the　unsettled　state　of　the　kingdom；　and　the　power　and　position　of
the　murderers　for　Joab's　brother　Abishai　had　been　united　with　himDavid
could　not　visit　the　crime　with　just　retribution；　yet　he　publicly

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manifested　his　abhorrence　of　the　bloody　deed。　The　burial　of　Abner　was
attended　with　public　honors。　The　army；　with　Joab　at　their　head；　were
required　to　take　part　in　the　services　of　mourning；　with　rent　garments　and
clothed　in　sackcloth。　The　king　manifested　his　grief　by　keeping　a　fast　upon
the　day　of　burial；　he　followed　the　bier　as　chief　mourner；　and　at　the　grave
he　pronounced　an　elegy　which　was　a　cutting　rebuke　of　the　murderers。　〃The
king　lamented　over　Abner；　and　said：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Died　Abner　as　a　fool　dieth？
　　　　　　　　　　　Thy　hands　were　not　bound；
　　　　　　　　　　　Nor　thy　feet　put　into　fetters：
　　　　　　　　　　　As　a　man　falleth　before　wicked　men；
　　　　　　　　　　　So　fellest　thou。〃


David's　magnanimous　recognition　of　one　who　had　been　his　bitter　enemy　won　the
confidence　and　admiration　of　all　Israel。　〃All　the　people　took　notice　of　it；
and　it　pleased　them：　as　whatsoever　the　king　did　pleased　all　the　people。　For
all　the　people　and　all　Israel　understood　that　day　that　it　was　not　of　the
king　to　slay　Abner　the　son　of　Ner。〃　In　the　private　circle　of　his　trusted
counselors　and　attendants　the　king　spoke　of　the　crime；　and　recognizing　his
own　inability　to　punish　the　murderers　as　he　desired；　he　left　them　to　the
justice　of　God：　〃Know　ye　not　that　there　is　a　prince　and　a　great　man　fallen
this　day　in　Israel？　And　I　am　this　day　weak；　though　anointed　king；　and　these
men　the　sons　of　Zeruiah　be　too　hard　for　me：　the　Lord　shall　reward　the　doer
of　evil　according　to　his　wickedness。〃

Abner　had　been　sincere　in　his　offers　and　representations　to　David；　yet　his
motives　were　base　and　selfish。　He　had　persistently　opposed　the　king　of　God's
appointment；　in　the　expectation　of　securing　honor　to　himself。　It　was
resentment；　wounded　pride；　and　passion　that　led　him　to　forsake　the　cause　he
had　so　long　served；　and　in　deserting　to　David　he　hoped　to　receive　the
highest　position　of　honor　in　his　service。　Had　he　succeeded　in　his　purpose；
his　talents　and　ambition；　his　great　influence　and　want　of　godliness；　would
have　endangered　the　throne　of　David　and　the　peace　and　prosperity　of　the
nation。

〃When　Saul's　son　heard　that　Abner　was　dead　in　Hebron；　his　hands　were　feeble；
and　all　the　Israelites　were　troubled。〃　It　was

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evident　that　the　kingdom　could　not　long　be　maintained。　Soon　another　act　of
treachery　completed　the　downfall　of　the　waning　power。　Ishbosheth　was　foully
murdered　by　two　of　his　captains；　who；　cutting　off　his　head；　hastened　with　it
to　the　king　of　Judah；　hoping　thus　to　ingratiate　themselves　in　his　favor。

They　appeared　before　David　with　the　gory　witness　to　their　crime；　saying；
〃Behold　the　head　of　Ishbosheth　the　son　of　Saul　thine　enemy；　which　sought　thy
life；　and　the　Lord　hath　avenged　my　lord　the　king　this　day　of　Saul；　and　of
his　seed。〃　But　David；　whose　throne　God　Himself　had　established；　and　whom　God
had　delivered　from　his　adversaries；　did　not　desire　the　aid　of　treachery　to
establish　his　power。　He　told　these　murderers　of　the　doom　visited　upon　him
who　boasted　of　slaying　Saul。　〃How　much　more；〃　he　added；　〃when　wicked　men
have　slain　a　righteous　person　in　his　own　house　upon　his　bed？　shall　I　not
therefore　now　require　his　blood　of　your　hand；　and　take　you　away　from　the
earth？　And　David　commanded　his　young　men；　and　they　slew　them。　。　。　。　But　they
took　the　head　of　Ishbosheth　and　buried　it　in　the　sepulchre　of　Abner　in
Hebron。〃

After　the　death　of　Ishbosheth　there　was　a　general　desire　among　the　leading
men　of　Israel　that　David　should　become　king　of　all　the　tribes。　〃Then　came
all　the　tribes　of　Israel　to　David　unto　Hebron；　and　spake；　saying；　Behold；　we
are　thy　bone　and　thy　flesh。〃　They　declared；　〃Thou　wast　he　that　leddest　out
and　broughtest　in　Israel：　and　the　Lord　said　to　thee；　Thou　shalt　feed　My
people　Israel；　and　thou　shalt　be　a　captain　over　Israel。　So　all　the　elders　of
Israel　came　to　the　king　to　Hebron；　and　King　David　made　a　league　with　them　in
Hebron　before　the　Lord。〃　Thus　through　the　providence　of　God　the　way　had　been
opened　for　him　to　come　to　the　throne。　He　had　no　personal　ambition　to
gratify；　for　he　had　not　sought　the　honor　to　which　he　had　been　brought。

More　than　eight　thousand　of　the　descendants　of　Aaron　and　of　the　Levites
waited　upon　David。　The　change　in　the　sentiments　of　the　people　was　marked　and
decisive。　The　revolution　was　quiet　and　dignified；　befitting　the　great　work
they　were　doing。　Nearly　half　a　million　souls；　the　former　subjects　of　Saul；
thronged　Hebron　and　its　environs。　The　very　hills　and　valleys　were　alive　with
the　multitudes。　The　hour　for　the　coronation　was　appointed；　the　man　who　had
been　expelled　from　the　court　of　Saul；　who　had　fled

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to　the　mountains　and　hills　and　to　the　caves　of　the　earth　to　preserve　his
life；　was　about　to　receive　the　highest　honor　that　can　be　conferred　upon　man
by　his　fellow　man。　Priests　and　elders；　clothed　in　the　garments　of　their
sacred　office；　officers　and　soldiers　with　glittering　spear　and　helmet；　and
strangers　from　long　distances；　stood　to　witness　the　coronation　of　the　chosen
king。　David　was