The Reading
The Summary
Shemuel Bet Chapter 2
David inquires of Hashem and is told to settle in Hevron. There, he is officially appointed king over his own tribe of Yehuda. He is informed of the act of kindness that the men of Yavesh Gilead performed in retrieving Shaul’s body from the Pelishtim and giving him funeral rites and a proper burial. David sends a message to Yavesh Gilead acknowledging and praising their conduct but also making them aware of the fact that he has been chosen as king of Yehuda and subtly suggesting that they lend their support to his new regime.In the meantime, the general of Shaul’s army, Avner Ben-Ner, brings Shaul’s surviving son, Ish-Boshet to Mahanayim and declares him the king of Israel. This marginalizes David and prevents him from immediately establishing a unified monarchy.
One day, the armies of Ish-Boshet and David find themselves encamped on opposite sides of a pool at Giveon. Avner Ben-Ner suggests that the men fight one another for sport, and Yoav ben Tzeruyah, David’s general, agrees. Each side appoints twelve men who face off on the battlefield, quickly killing one another. This provokes an all-out war between the two armies that continues for the rest of the day.
At one point, Asahel, brother of Yoav, is in pursuit of Avner Ben-Ner. Avner repeatedly asks Asahel to stop chasing him so that he is not forced to take drastic action to preserve his life. Despite their differences, Avner apparently values his relationship with Yoav and so is hesitant to harm his brother. Asahel refuses to heed the warnings of Avner, so Avner has no choice but to drive the back of his spear straight through the ribs of Asahel, killing him.
Eventually, the armies disengage and Avner calls for the battle to be concluded. Yoav blames Avner for having started the bloodshed but agrees to the ceasefire. Yoav and his men have inflicted serious casualties on the forces of Avner, killing 360 soldiers while themselves losing only 20. This reflected the trend of decline of the house of Shaul as David and his kingdom continued to gain in strength.
This chapter highlights the difficulties that stand in the way of David’s campaign to unify the kingdom of Israel under his leadership. David once again displays his substantial political acumen in reaching out to the men of Yavesh Gilead. We can imagine that the inhabitants of Yavesh Gilead were wary of David and probably assumed that their heroic actions on behalf of Shaul would be perceived negatively by David.
David’s message to them emphasizes that he shares their reverence for Shaul and does not perceive them as the “opposition” because they had a deep affection for his predecessor. On the contrary, he considers them worthy of great reward and would be honored to have them join his kingdom. Neglecting the people of Yavesh Gilead would have been politically dangerous for David, since their abiding sympathy for the house of Shaul could have translated into aggression against the new monarch.
On the other hand, recruiting the core fan base of your former adversary would be a monumental political achievement for David, and he attempts to do so by emphasizing his own admiration for Shaul and his wish to perpetuate the positive elements of Shaul’s legacy. The wisdom of David’s strategic approach here cannot be overstated. There is much to be learned from him in terms of bridging gaps and easing tensions between individuals or groups that differ from one another on ideological, religious, or political grounds.
Avner is the key figure who thwarts this otherwise ingenious effort of David. Although Ish-Boshet was not previously considered a potential successor of Shaul – he was not even present on the battlefield during the war against the Pelishtim – he is propped up as a figurehead around which the supporters of Shaul can be rallied. The language of the chapter suggests that Avner somewhat artificially places Ish-Boshet in this role, despite the fact that he was not especially qualified to be king.
The symbolic gesture of having Shaul’s son occupy his throne and extend his reign was sufficient to hold onto the loyalty of his die-hard advocates, at least for the time being. And keeping the regime intact, even on a precarious foundation, was enough to keep Avner in a position of power and influence as well. Had David succeeded in uniting the nation, Avner feared that he would, at the very least, be out of a job.
The choices of capital for the respective kingdoms are noteworthy. David chooses Hevron, a city well known to us as the burial place of the Avot as well as the location Kalev visited when the twelve spies first visited Israel in the times of Moshe and which he inherits once Canaan is conquered by the Jews. This conveys the idea that the Davidic monarchy is rooted in and embodies the legacy of Jewish history from the period of the Patriarchs through the conquest of the land. David’s kingdom is, as it were, the culmination of this multi-generational process of establishing the nation of Israel in the Holy Land.
Ish Boshet chooses Mahanayim. Mahanayim was the place in Israel to which Yaaqov returned after his lengthy sojourn with his uncle Lavan; he encountered angels there, reminding him that even while in Exile and while struggling he was being guided by Divine providence and was destined to eventually make his way back home. In the same way, Ish Boshet may have wanted to emphasize that despite the recent setbacks, losses and downturns in Israel, he would strengthen the Jewish presence in the land and restore the people to their previous state of blessing and prosperity.
Yoav’s appearance at Giveon was likely an intentional provocation, since it was a city located within the territory of Binyamin, the home base of Shaul’s court. It was also the center of national religious life during this period – the Tabernacle had been moved there after the destruction of the city of Nov. Yoav’s assignment of troops to the area may have indicated his desire to establish a military presence in Giveon, subtly declaring it under the jurisdiction of King David and not Ish Boshet. The selection of twelve men from each side to begin the military engagement was obviously symbolic; the question here was which monarch would be chosen to lead the twelve tribes of Israel, and that question would be settled by the sword.
Avner and Yoav both treat the skirmish between their troops more lightly than it should have been treated; both are brilliant and highly skilled military men (Avner can apparently drive the handle of a spear through a man’s ribs and out his back!) but extremely complicated personalities, as we will see in upcoming chapters. Regrettably, their callous and flippant attitude toward the horrors of battle led to the needless loss of many lives, and the Rabbis criticize both of them for their complicity in this unnecessary tragedy. At the same time, the outcome of this clash further reinforces the impression that the dynasty of David is on the rise and that the house of Shaul is declining rapidly.