Week 57 Day 4: A New King

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February 02, 2023

How did Saul’s kingship meet its end?

David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
David became king of Judah, continued to have more wives and sons.
Abner betrayed the house of Saul and defected to David. Abner submitted to David’s demand to bring him back Michal who was Saul’s daughter and David’s first wife. Abner went back to confer with the Israelite elders about establishing a covenant with David.
Joab murdered Abner as revenge for his brother Asahel. David cursed Joab and mourned for Abner. Thus, the Israelites in the north knew it wasn’t David’s idea to kill Abner.
The Israelite king Ish-Bosheth was murdered by two of Saul’s raiding band leaders. They were executed by David when they asked David for the credit of the killing. David buried Ish-Bosheth with Abner.

Walking with God - Abner knew David was God’s anointed and yet made Ish-Bosheth king? When angered by Ish-Bosheth, Abner defected to David. What was his motive? What was Joab’s sin in killing Abner? Why did David curse Joab and told him to mourn and bury Abner? What is the relationship between the three?
Integrity - The two leaders of Saul’s raiding bands went to David to claim credit for killing Ish-Bosheth. Whey did David execute them? David should have known that Abner was behind the weak Ish-Bosheth during the seven-year-standoff against the house of Saul. Why was David’s attitude different toward Abner compared to these two raiding band leaders? What strengths or shortcomings do I see in David’s life?

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