2 Samuel 2:12-32 There Are No Winners When Fellow Members Fight

2 Samuel 2:12-32

12 One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David’s troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.

14 Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” “All right,” Joab agreed. 15 So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side – twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David. 16 Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.

17 A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David. 18 Joab, Abishai, and Asahel- the three sons of Zeruiah- were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle, 19 and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything. 20 When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, “Is that you, Asahel?” “Yes, it is,” he replied. 21 “Go fight someone else!” Abner warned. “Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel kept right on chasing Abner. 22 Again Abner shouted to him, “Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?” 23 But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.

24 When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner. The sun was just going down as they arrived at the hill of Ammah near Giah, along the road to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 Abner’s troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.

26 Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?” 27 Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.” 28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel. 29 All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn’t stop until they arrived at Mahanaim.

30 Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel. 31 But 360 of Abner’s men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin. 32 Joab and his men took Asahel’s body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father’s tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

Background

Meanwhile, there is on going war to establish a united kingdom of Israel. As a kingdom divided is highly unstable, the commanders of both sides met at the pool of Gibeon with the purpose of resolving the impasse through the display of might. The representative battle that meant to decide the matter escalated into full scale battle that resulted in deaths and bitterness. Today’s passage teaches us as to the importance of resolving grievances by reasoning in the truth and refrain from strife or legal confrontation. Internal fighting will only lead to bloodshed and bitterness on all sides. While strife brings bitterness and destruction, God commands a blessing on a community of peace and truth.

Observation

Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us – Israel is divided between David ruling the territory of Judah, while Ishbosheth presided over the northern territories. The commanders of both kings meet as though to decide the question of royal succession. For lack of a better strategy of resolution, they decided on a representative hand to hand combat of 12 warriors from each side at the pool of Gibeon. The hand to hand combat ended up in swordplay where all 24 warriors died in each other’s hands. As there are no winners, the combat escalates into a full scale battle where David’s men took the upper hand.

Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again? – Unsatisfied to end their contest here, they pursue Abner with Asahel hot on the heels of Abner. Abner, being a seasoned warrior takes Asahel’s life and his surviving brothers Joab and Abishai vowed revenge. Using power to resolve an internal strife can only result in bitterness and tragedy.

Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? – At the news of Asahel’s death, Joab, driven by personal vendetta continues to pursue Abner, but as the sun was just going down, Abner makes his appeal from a hill top to stop further bloodshed and they give up the chase. The uneven distribution of fatalities from both sides suggests the shape of things to come. The 360 dead from Abner’s camp dwarfs the 19 missing from David’s camp.

Truth

1. There are no winners when fellow members of a family resolve grievances through strife or legal confrontation. I have seen families broken up over so called irreconcilable differences involving finances, properties, and even over trivial matters that escalated into full scale war. Children embroiled in legal battles over their parent’s estate. Parents take their children to court because they did not carry out their duties to support them in their old age. Members of the family must do all to solve their problems by reasoning with the truth before they escalate into irreversible chaos and damage. Israel in those days is a case in point, a representative battle of 12 warriors from each side escalated in a full scale battle leaving Asahel dead and scores of deaths from both sides. Members of God’s family must resolve matters by the truth and refrain from attacking one another. Paul says,

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases. 1 Corinthians 6:1-2

Paul speaks against believers using the civil court to attack and put down their fellow members. As saints possess the truth that equips them to judge even the world, surely they could solve their grievances in truth and in love. Whenever there is legal wrangling, there will be losses and bitterness that calls out for endless vengeance.

2. God commands His blessings upon a community that is united in peace and love. Hence, members must endeavor to keep the peace and unity within the family at all cost; even to the extent of forsaking your personal rights. Peace comes at the cost of individual rights. The psalmist says,

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Psalm 133

Peace and unity benefits the whole community, internal strife will only leave irreversible scars and bitterness. There are no winners in an internal feud, only losers on all sides. Although David’s camp incur minimal casualties but, they lost Asahel, the son of David’s sister Zeruiah. Therefore, all parties must humble and submit themselves under God’s truth in order for peace and blessings to prevail in the family. In the spirit of forgiveness, members of the same family must restore communications and fellowship with one another in order to experience God’s blessings.

Application

1. Do you have an existing feud with a member of your family? You may have forgiven the offending member but you have not restored fellowship. As a result the whole community is deprived of the blessings of God because of you. Take steps to reach out to them by sending them a message of good will.
2. You may feel that you have the right to deprive the offending member of your fellowship by withholding communications. But the greater principle is the principle of love and forgiveness.

Dear Lord, use me as a uniting factor in my family. Fill me with your wisdom and your love to restore fellowship amd mutual acceptance among members of my family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.