Tuesday, December 7, 2004 Nativity Fast
Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
Kellia: 2 Samuel 3:1-6, 20-21, 24-29, 33-34 Epistle: 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4 Gospel: St. Luke 19:45-48
2 Samuel 3:1-6, 20-21, 24-29, 33-34. especially vs. 21: "And Abner said to
David, 'I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that
you may reign over all that your heart desires.' So David sent Abner away; and he went in peace." Two elements are
necessary for the exercise of government: the power to decree and the consent of the governed. The first four chapters of
Second Samuel account for the rise of David as sole monarch over all twelve of the tribes of Israel. In the first chapter, he
is presented as a guerrilla leader, a fighter who survived the wrath of Saul, the first King of all Israel. David survived by
wits, military skill, and prudent hiding in the impenetrable wilderness south of his native territory of Judah.
In the second chapter, David is revealed as obedient to the Lord in returning among the kin of his own tribe of Judah. The
men of Judah crowned him as king at Hebron in Judah while Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was crowned king over the other
eleven tribes with the help of "Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army" (2 Sam. 2:8). Inevitable war broke out
between the military forces of the two kings (2 Sam. 2:12-32), "a long war between the house of Saul and the house of
David" in which "David grew stronger and stronger" (2 Sam. 3:1).
The present reading from the third chapter captures the essence of the bitter feud between the commanding officers of the
armed forces of the two kings, Abner who was Ishbosheth's commander, and Joab, the head of David's army. The
subsequent chapter will detail the assassination of King Ishbosheth by two officers in his own army. These two murdered
their king in his sleep in the hope of gaining David's favor, but only gained his wrath and their own execution (2 Sam.
4:11,12). The intrigue and struggle within and between the two royal houses would lead finally to David's reign "over all
Israel and Judah" (2 Sam. 5:5).
In this reading, one can readily detect the interplay of the two essential elements required for governing: power and consent.
The shift of power in David's favor occurred as the result of a falling out between King Ishbosheth and his commander,
Abner (2 Sam. 3:7-11). Not only had Abner been the chief instrument of Ishbosheth's anointing as King (2 Sam. 2:8,9),
but also subsequently for two years he made "himself strong in the house of Saul" (2 Sam 3:6). Abner may well be
characterized as a "king-maker." Notice what he promised to David during his meeting with him: the gathering of "all
Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires"
(vs. 21).
Sad as was the treacherous murder of Abner by Joab (vss. 26,27), still it was Abner's death and the regicide of Ishbosheth
that made sufficient power available for David so that he could be acclaimed as king over the whole nation. With Joab as
the sole commander of all his armed forces, David of Judah could rule all the tribes of Israel with a single center of
command and control. It would only be conjecture to consider how affairs might have gone had Abner survived after
agreeing to deliver the other eleven tribes to David.
As events unfolded, the consent of the governed continued to accrue to David. His fervent disavowal of the murder of
Abner by Joab (vss 28,29) and his evident grief at the death of Abner (vs. 33) certainly gained him the support of the
people. When he lamented, "all the people" joined him and "wept again over [Abner]" (vs. 34). Considering the rise and
fall of world leaders, one may learn much concerning power and consent from David's rise to rule.
Preserve well Thy holy Church, O all-good Master, strengthening and confirming by the might of Thy hand the rulers of
the nations, that Thy kingdom of all ages may come upon us.
