2 Samuel 3:31

DAVID; THE CHIEF MOURNER AT ABNER'S FUNERAL

"Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your clothes, and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the bier. They buried Abner at Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented for Abner, saying,

Should Abner die as a fool dies?

Your hands were not bound,

Your feet were not fettered;

As one falls before the wicked

you have fallen.

And all the people wept again over him. Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, `God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else until the sun goes down.' And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to slay Abner the son of Ner. And the king said to his servants, `Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king; these men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. The Lord requite the evildoer according to his wickedness.'"

Here David exerted himself mightily to dissociate himself from the crime of Abner's treacherous assassination; and Willis was of the opinion that, "The north Israelites were convinced of David's sincerity."[30] However, we have some reservations in agreeing with this. There was some reason why it took an additional five years to unite all Israel under David's authority. And it seems to us, that had Abner lived, that objective might have been achieved much sooner. Some reluctance on the part of northern Israel must surely have followed the death of Abner.

"These sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me" (2 Samuel 3:39). Young noted that, "Although David dealt harshly with the Amalekites, put to death the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul, and ordered the execution of the men who murdered Ishbosheth, David failed to act in the case of the misdeeds of Joab. He washed his hands and left the family of Joab to the judgment of God."[31]

"I am this day weak, though anointed king" (2 Samuel 3:39). This is the sad truth with many a man in high office. He is bound by the prejudices, vices, and ambitions of his subordinates, upon whom, in many instances, he is dependent for the continuation of his authority. So it was with David here. He could not afford to order the execution of Joab to whom the army most certainly was loyal. Furthermore, without the ability and loyalty of Joab, David's kingship might have been endangered. Only the providence of God could have brought out of this situation the glorious Israel that later developed.