There is something very beautiful in David’s movements at this moment in his life; they gave an evidence of how completely his soul had come back to its rest in the Lord. He had resumed his old habit of waiting upon Jehovah alone. He knew the Lord would give him the kingdom; and therefore, he refused to take one step toward the throne, apart from a direct Divine command. So he inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said unto him, “Go up.” The next question was, “Whither shall I go up?” And the Lord replied, “Unto Hebron.” Therefore, David and all his attendants – with their wives and families – went up to Hebron. This city was the center and sacred metropolis of the tribe of Judah. It lay within the portion of land that had been assigned to Caleb in the days of Joshua, and it was where he and the other patriarchs of the family were buried. David’s arrival at Hebron was hailed with great satisfaction by the people. They assembled together and anointed him as king over the tribe of Judah, and he reigned in Hebron for the next 7½ years (1055-1048 BC).

Having been informed that the men of Jabesh-gilead had properly buried the bodies of Saul and his sons, the first sovereign act of the new king was in perfect consistency with his conduct at Ziklag. He sent messengers to those men and conveyed to them his blessing for the kindness which they had shown to the remains of the deceased king, and he assured them that the Lord would reward them for this noble and pious action.

While David was busily engaged in organizing his new dominion, the wreck of Saul’s army was being gathered together by his nephew, Abner. Taking with him Ish-bosheth, Saul’s only surviving son, Abner retired to the eastern side of the Jordan River; and there he proclaimed the 40-year-old prince as the king of Israel (minus the tribe of Judah), and he made Mahanaim his capital.

David does not appear to have provoked any war with Ish-bosheth at this time – thereby serving as a wonderful reminder of Christ-like peacemaking. Surely he found sufficient employment in the consolidation of his own government, and the organization of his own army. And for the first two years (1055-1053 BC), Abner occupied himself in liberating Ish-bosheth’s kingdom from the Philistines who occupied it, until he was established as king “over all Israel” (verse 9) – with the exception of the tribe of Judah. But after the lapse of two years, in 1053 BC, Abner marshaled his forces and marched to Gibeon. As this town was in Saul’s home-tribe of Benjamin, the people there would naturally lean toward supporting the son of their former king. But this place was so near to the frontier of Judah that the placing of Ish-bosheth’s army there could hardly be regarded as anything except trouble coming! Accordingly, David dispatched Joab with a body of troops to observe Abner’s movements, but apparently with strict orders to act on the defensive.

Having so solemnly sworn to Saul that he would not cut off his descendants, it is not likely that David felt any desire to provoke a war between the two kingdoms. Besides, it would have been much more reasonable if they had united their two armies and swept the Philistines from every portion of the Hebrew territory! But this wise course was not taken.

As the men of Israel were ranged on one side of the pool at Gibeon, and the servants of David on the other, Abner proposed that a select number of the warriors on each side should engage in a sort of duel before the two armies. Joab assented. Abner – apparently eager for the fight – sent over 12 men of Benjamin, and these were met by an equal number of the soldiers of Judah. These men assailed each other with such deadly determination that they all fell dead together. The armies on both sides then engaged with each other, and a bloody battle was fought; but the men of Israel were compelled to give way before the men of Judah, and they fled in disorder – being fiercely pursued by their enemies. In this flight, Asahel – the brother of Joab and the nephew of David, who was apparently noteworthy for his swiftness – followed Abner closely and persistently, although he was wearing no defensive armor. Abner expostulated with Asahel on his folly in chasing him, but in vain; and finally, Abner used his spear to kill his pursuer.

Asahel’s brothers, Joab and Abishai, were also pursuing Abner. At length, after killing Asahel, Abner called out to Joab and requested him to call back his men from the pursuit. Joab immediately complied, and the two armies and their corresponding leaders traveled all that night to return to their respective cities. The losses to David’s forces totaled 19 men, in addition to Asahel; but 360 men from Abner’s army died. And although Joab called off his men from pursuing Abner and his army at this time, he never ceased to entertain deadly hatred to Abner for killing his brother Asahel.

Although David was chosen by God Himself to be king, yet he had to go through long conflicts before he fully obtained the entire kingdom. The chosen people of God will never, in this world, be without the opposition and malice of the enemy. But our souls may rejoice in the blessed certainty that our Lord Jesus – our King and our God – will surely bring us home to His heavenly kingdom!

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