At this time only one tribe, his own tribe of Judah, accepted David as king, and he reigned over them for seven and a half years before he reigned over all Israel.v.11Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:11 The other eleven tribes appointed Saul’s son Ish-bosheth to be their king,vs.8-9Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:8-9 under the influence of Abner, the captain of Saul’s army,v.8Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:8 a mighty man who had the real power over the eleven tribes. He was pursued by David’s nephews,v.18Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:18 the sons of Zeruiah David’s sister, and he reluctantly killed one of them, Asahel.vs.22-23Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:22-23 This had significant consequences later for when Abner entered into negotiations with David to transfer the eleven tribes into David’s hand 2 Samuel 3:21Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 3:21 Joab, Asahel’s brother, killed Abner in exactly the same way that he had killed Asahel. 2 Samuel 3:27Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 3:27 Again this caused David to lament, not about the failure to gain the eleven tribes, but that “a great man had fallen in Israel”.2 Samuel 3:38Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 3:38 Joab was to cause David much further distress but in the end Joab received his just reward.2 Samuel 3:39Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 3:39
Verses 1-7
Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:1-7Directed by God,v.1Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:1 David went to Hebron, a chief city of the tribe of Judah, where the people of Judah anointed him their king,v.4Waiting for response for 2 Samuel 2:4 David, however, was still thinking of Saul and Jonathan and when he heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had come from the other side of the river Jordan to give king Saul a proper burial he sent them a message of gratitude. In fact these men themselves had done this deed in gratitude to Saul, for he had saved them from mutilation by the Amorites when he first became king.1 Samuel 11