king – Christopher L. Scott

In today’s post we are studying the Holy Bible, chapter 4 of 2 Samuel in an effort to learn how we can faithfully follow and serve the leader(s) above us based on what David modeled for us as a young man in Israel.

We pick up with the story of David just after Abner has been killed and buried. As a reminder, Abner was the commander of Saul’s army and Ishbosheth’s army. He was killed by Joab, the commander of David’s army. Abner has been buried and word spreads across Israel that he has died.

In this part of our story we see that when Ishbosheth, the king of Israel, hears about Abner’s death at Hebron, all of Israel becomes paralyzed with fear. Abner was the true leader of Israel with Ishbosheth being a somewhat “puppet” king who Abner controlled. Israel is now fearful of what might happen to them as a nation since their more fierce warrior and main leader, Abner, is dead. That’s when we read about two men who take matters into their own hands.

In my last post about David we learned about him killing the Amalekite man because the Amalekite man claimed to have killed King Saul. Then David wrote a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan while he and his men mourned and wept over their wrongful deaths. Now, in 2 Samuel chapter 2 we read about what David does knowing that Saul and Jonathan are dead. This is important because David (and many other people at that time) knows he has been anointed to become king of Israel.

In chapter 2 of 2 Samuel we see David again relying on God for guidance. After David and his men have mourned over the death of King Saul and Jonathan, David immediately asks the LORD, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?” to which God says, “Yes.” Then David asks, “Which town should I go to?” and the LORD answers, “To Hebron” (2 Samuel 2:1).

David faithfully follow’s God’s instructions, and he and his men settle in the villages near Hebron. (They had to settle in the villages near Hebron because 600 of David’s men and their families would have overwhelmed a small city such as Hebron.) Then, we see what might be the most exciting moment of David’s young life.