2Sa 3:32 | KingComments | STEP | David says to Joab and all the people to lament. If Joab has lamented, it will not have gone warmly. David himself goes after the bier. He is close to the dead, as if Abner was his best friend. Also at the grave of Abner the grief of David is great. He cries loudly and the people share in the grief with him. Of Joab we read nothing. We see with David the same attitude he showed after the news of Saul’s death. Just as he did over Saul and Jonathan, David also chants a lament over Abner. Through his attitude and reaction to the murder of Abner, the people are won over to the king. David calls here Joab and Abishai “the wicked” ( ). He praises Abner and calls him “a prince and a great man”. David acknowledges his weakness. He has just become king and faces an enormous task. On the other hand are “these men the sons of Zeruiah”, who are Joab and Abishai, whom he calls “too difficult for me“ or “harder than me”. That David feels weak and is not as hard as “these men” shows a good mind. It is important that the people are governed with care and tenderness and not with a hard hand. We see the effect of a hard government when the son of Solomon, Rehoboam, comes to power. It results in the division of the empire ( ). God’s king is someone who in the first place shepherds God’s people and then also is prince over that people ( ). Caring for God’s people comes first. Anyone who has been given a place by the Lord as pastor among His people may pray that the Lord will teach him a lot from Himself as the good Shepherd. When he restored Peter after his denial of Him, He said to Peter in the first place: “Tend My lambs.” Only then did he speak of the shepherding of the sheep ( ).

‏ 2 Samuel 3:32

David Mourns the Death of Abner

David says to Joab and all the people to lament. If Joab has lamented, it will not have gone warmly. David himself goes after the bier. He is close to the dead, as if Abner was his best friend. Also at the grave of Abner the grief of David is great. He cries loudly and the people share in the grief with him. Of Joab we read nothing.

We see with David the same attitude he showed after the news of Saul’s death. Just as he did over Saul and Jonathan, David also chants a lament over Abner. Through his attitude and reaction to the murder of Abner, the people are won over to the king. David calls here Joab and Abishai “the wicked” (2Sam 3:34). He praises Abner and calls him “a prince and a great man”.

David acknowledges his weakness. He has just become king and faces an enormous task. On the other hand are “these men the sons of Zeruiah”, who are Joab and Abishai, whom he calls “too difficult for me“ or “harder than me”. That David feels weak and is not as hard as “these men” shows a good mind. It is important that the people are governed with care and tenderness and not with a hard hand. We see the effect of a hard government when the son of Solomon, Rehoboam, comes to power. It results in the division of the empire (1Kgs 12:1-19).

God’s king is someone who in the first place shepherds God’s people and then also is prince over that people (1Chr 11:2). Caring for God’s people comes first.

Anyone who has been given a place by the Lord as pastor among His people may pray that the Lord will teach him a lot from Himself as the good Shepherd. When he restored Peter after his denial of Him, He said to Peter in the first place: “Tend My lambs.” Only then did he speak of the shepherding of the sheep (Jn 21:15-17).