DAVID IS NOW KING OF JUDAH AND LIVING IN HEBRON. WHY WOULD ONE SINGLE TRIBE CHOOSE TO HAVE A KING, OVER SIMPLY HAVING A TRIBAL PRINCE OR LEADER? CLAN LEADERS WOULD END UP HAVING LESS AUTHORITY UNDER A KING, AND WHILE HAVING A KING MAKES SENSE IF YOU WANT TO PUT ONE MAN IN CHARGE OF A NUMBER OF TRIBES, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. THE CLAN LEADERS OF JUDAH (IN THE SOUTH) FIGURED THAT THERE WOULD DEFINATELY BE A NEW KING OVER THE NORTHERN TRIBES THAT WAS HEADED BY KING SAUL (BEFORE HIS DEATH) AND THAT SINCE JUDAH DIDN’T WANT THEIR NORTHERN KING OVER THEM, IT WAS BETTER TO ANOINT THEIR OWN WHILE THERE WAS A POWER VACUUM UP NORTH, HOPING THAT THEIR MAN DAVID MIGHT EVEN BECOME KING OVER ALL OF THE 12 TRIBES AND GIVE THEM (JUDAH) A POSITION OF SUPERIORITY OVER THE OTHER TRIBES.
SORROW (2 SAM.2)
After David had mourned the loss of both Jonathon and Saul, he asked Yahuah, “Should I go back to one of the cities of Judah now?" HE WAS LIVING AT ZIKLAG (PHILISTIA)
“Yes, it’s time to go back”,
“Where should I go?"
“Hebron”,
“Ok cool!”
So David went to Hebron with his two wives, Ahinoam (of Jezreel) and Abigail (the widow of Nabal from Carmel). He also brought along all his men and their households, and they settled in and around the Royal City of Hebron WHERE ABRAHAM, ISAAC & JACOB WERE BURIED. Then the people of Judah came and anointed David King over them.
They told David how the people of Jabesh-Gilead had displayed such great courage by braving the presence of the Philistines to retrieve the decapitated body of Saul from the walls of Beit-Shean and had given him a proper burial with dignity at their city on the East-Side of the Jordan River. So David sent messengers to them saying, “May Yahuah bless you for your loyalty to your King Saul by giving him a proper burial. May the Eternal Yahuah always love and be loyal to you! I will also reward you for this noble act".
HERE WE SEE ONE OF THE QUALITIES OF DAVID THAT MADE HIM SO DEAR TO YAHUAH. IT WAS USUAL AND CUSTOMARY FOR A NEW KING TO PURGE HIS PREDECESSOR’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FAMILY, AND THOSE WHO SYMPATHIZED WITH THE FORMER KING. BUT INSTEAD DAVID REACHED OUT TO THE PEOPLE OF JABESH-GILEAD AND EVEN SOUGHT TO REWARD THEM FOR THEIR LOYALTY TO KING SAUL.
"Now be strong and mighty", David continued, "For Saul your King is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me as their new King".
WHAT WOULD STRENGTH AND MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH JABESH ACCEPTING DAVID’S OFFER OF REPAYMENT AND KINDNESS? ESSENTIALLY IT'S BECAUSE THIS REPAYMENT AND KINDNESS IS ALL WRAPPED UP IN JABESH ESTABLISHING A COVENANT WITH DAVID. DAVID IS ASKING JABESH TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE NORTHERN TRIBAL COALITION AND TO INSTEAD BECOME PART OF DAVID’S SOUTHERN KINGDOM. DAVID IS ASKING THAT THIS GROUP OF MEN WITH SUCH CLOSE TIES TO THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN (SAUL’S TRIBE), TRANSFER THEIR LOYALTY TO THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, WHICH WILL TAKE COURAGE BECAUSE THEIR NORTHERN TRIBAL COALITION PARTNERS WILL NOT ONLY BE SUPREMELY UNHAPPY WITH THEM FOR DOING THAT, BUT MIGHT EVEN TRY TO PUNISH THEM FOR WHAT THEY WOULD LIKELY SEE AS NO LESS THAN TREASON. JABESH’S RESPONSE TO DAVID’S OFFER IS NOT GIVEN, BUT CONSIDERING WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THEM SEVERAL DECADES EARLIER, WHEN (THE MOSTLY) NORTHERN TRIBES OF YISHARAL PUNISHED THEM SEVERELY (NEARLY INTO EXTINCTION FOR THE LEVITE'S CONCUBINE INCIDENT IN JUDGES), THEIR RELUCTANCE TO JUMP AT DAVID’S OFFER CAN BE UNDERSTOOD.
So David is the King of Judah, but it wasn’t so simple, because Abner (who had commanded Saul’s armies), took Saul’s son Ishbosheth and brought him to Mahanaim and there Abner named Ishbosheth King over Gilead and over the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Yisharal (ESSENTIALLY ALL THE NORTHERN TRIBES). Ishbosheth (Saul’s son) was 40 years old when he began to rule Yisharal and he was King for two years. But the people of Judah followed David and he was King over them in Hebron for 7½ years.
WITHOUT A DOUBT ABNER (SAUL'S COMMANDER) WAS THE REAL POWER IN SAUL’S KINGDOM AT THE MOMENT, SIMPLY BECAUSE HE HAD THE MIGHT OF THE ARMY BEHIND HIM. SINCE ISHBOSHETH IS A LEGITIMATE HEIR TO THE THRONE, ABNER HAS LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO APPOINT HIM AS THE NEW KING. ABNER DECIDED TO RELOCATE ISHBOSHETH OUT OF THE NORTHERN REGION OF CANAAN AND ACROSS THE JORDAN RIVER TO A PLACE CALLED MAHANAIM AND IT WAS THERE THAT HE FORMALLY APPOINTED ISHBOSHETH AS HIS FATHER’S SUCCESSOR.
IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR ISHBOSHETH TO SET UP HIS NEW GOVERNMENT THERE IN THE EAST BECAUSE THE PHILISTINES NOW HAD TOO MUCH CONTROL OVER THE LAND (THAT CONSTITUTED SAUL’S OLD KINGDOM). WHY WOULD ABNER WANT TO CROWN ISHBOSHETH AT ALL, SINCE APPARENTLY HE KNEW THAT YAHUAH INTENDED DAVID TO BE THE KING? IT IS CLEAR THAT ABNER HAD MORE RESPECT FOR YAHUAH AND HIS COMMANDS AND DECREES THAN HIS FORMER BOSS (KING SAUL) DID. HE WAS WELL AWARE THAT DAVID WAS YAHUAH’S CHOICE TO BE KING OVER ALL OF THE YISHARALITE TRIBES.
Abner (the son of Ner) and the servants of Ishbosheth (the son of Saul) traveled from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
Joab (David’s general, whose mother was David’s sister Zeruiah), and also David’s servants were travelling there too and they `ran into each other’ at the pool of Gibeon.
Abner’s forces were by one side of the pool, Joab’s forces by the other. What to do? Start a full-blown war with no battle-plan? So (the more battle-experienced) Abner said to Joab, “Why don’t we send our young soldiers out to have a contest before us?”
“Alrighty then, send them forward”, Joab agreed. So twelve men came forward to represent the people of Benjamin and Ishbosheth (the son of Saul) and twelve to represent David and his people (JUDAH).
They all caught their opponents by the head and thrust their swords into their opponents’ sides, so they all fell down together. And that is why this place was called the `Field of Adversaries' (Helkath-hazzurim in Gibeon). The battle that followed this contest was brutal that day, and Abner and the men of Yisharal were defeated by the servants of David. All three of Zeruiah’s sons were fighting for David: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a swift runner, as fast as a gazelle, and he chased after Abner intently. Then Abner looked behind him, “Is that you, Asahel”? He laughed.
“You better believe it mate!”
“Would you get outta here and stop pursuing me you pest. Go attack one of the soldiers of your own rank, and pinch his stuff instead”.
But Asahel would not stop coming after him.
"OY, I WARNED YOU! IF YOU DON’T STOP PURSUING ME, I’LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KILL YOU! And how would that go down with your brother Joab, if I did that?”
But Asahel (a younger, cockier man) had set his sights on his big prize, Abner, not giving it a second thought that this grizzled old warrior had lived so long (fighting along side Saul) because he was a fierce and cunning fighter who didn’t know how to lose. So in youthful exuberance Asahel responded by turning on the jets, breathing down Abner’s neck, who then used a military trick (that only the most experienced would dare to try). Abner had sharpened the wooden handle-end of his spear and as Asahel was ready to strike (certain that he was about to end the life of this old man of legendary status), Abner unexpectedly and abruptly slammed on the brakes and (without even turning) thrust the sharpened handle of his spear backward and Asahel literally ran into it and impaled himself upon it. Abner struck Asahel in his abdomen and it passed all the way through him. So there he fell and there he died. And because Asahel had raced out ahead of everyone, it would take some time before the rest of the group caught up. And when they did, they all froze in their tracks when they came upon Asahel’s lifeless body, and they just stood there staring in amazement.
But the sight of their dead brother gave Asahel’s brothers, Joab and Abishai, their second wind of adrenaline and they pursued Abner with their forces, blood in their eyes and murder in their hearts. And as the sun was setting, they reached the hill of Ammah that is in front of Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. And there the people of Benjamin banded together to protect Abner, and they made their stand on top of a hill. “Hey Joab, this is ridiculous, are we gunna keep killing forever? Don’t you see that this will all come to a bitter end? How long until you order your forces to stop pursuing their brothers?” Abner called out. ABNER’S WORDS WERE ABOUT TRYING TO CONVINCE ABISHAI AND JOAB TO PUT ASIDE WHAT WAS NOW A PERSONAL VENDETTA AGAINST HIM. THIS WAS NO LONGER ABOUT MILITARY VICTORY. AFTER ALL, THERE WASN’T ANY REAL NEED FOR A BATTLE TO HAVE STARTED AT ALL SINCE DAVID AND ISHBOSHETH (KINGS OF THE NORTH & SOUTH) WERE NOT AT WAR.
“As Alahim lives, if you hadn’t said that, my forces would have pursued their Yisharalite brothers all night until morning”. Joab said.
WHAT WAS A COLD WAR (OF SORTS) BETWEEN THOSE LOYAL TO DAVID AND THOSE LOYAL TO ISHBOSHETH (BEFORE THIS INCIDENT IN GIBEON) HAD NOW TURNED INTO A FAMILY BLOOD-FEUD. ABNER KNEW THAT THIS IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND THIS IS WHY HE TOLD ASAHEL TO STOP CHASING HIM DOWN AND GO AFTER SOMEBODY ELSE. ABNER KNEW THAT HE’D HAVE TO KILL ASAHEL OTHERWISE AND THE RESULT WOULD BE AN ONGOING SERIES OF REVENGE KILLINGS BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES. IN ANY CASE JOAB KNEW THAT THERE HAD BEEN ENOUGH BLOODSHED FOR ONE DAY, AND THAT ABNER AND HIS MEN WERE IN STRONG DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.
So Joab blew the rams horn to call off the attack against the men of Yisharal, and all pursuit and battle stopped. Abner and his men went on, traveling all night across the desert plain of the Arabah. Then they crossed the Jordan River, and by traveling all morning reached Mahanaim. Joab and his forces, meanwhile, came back together after pursuing Abner. They discovered that in addition to Asahel, only 19 of David’s men were missing; but David’s men had killed 360 of the men of Benjamin and the others who served Abner (since they were experienced soldiers who’d fought with David himself for many years).
They brought Asahel’s body back and buried him in Bethlehem in his ancestral tomb. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived home in Hebron at dawn.
JOAB BURNED WITH DESIRE FOR REVENGE. THE TRUCE ARRANGED AT AMMAH HILL BETWEEN HE AND ABNER APPLIED ONLY TO KINGDOM BUSINESS; BUT THE MATTER OVER ASAHEL’S DEATH WAS PERSONAL AND BETWEEN HE AND ABNER ALONE. THIS WAS, AFTER ALL, THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE ALL BLOOD FEUDS END BADLY AND IN GREAT SORROW.
HEBREW UNDERSTANDING: to pant (hence, to exert oneself, usually in vain; to come to naught); strictly nothingness; also trouble, vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol:--affliction, evil, false, idol, iniquity, mischief, mourners, naught, sorrow, unjust, unrighteous, vain ,vanity, wicked, bad, evil (natural or moral):-- adversity, affliction, calamity, + displeasure, distress, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurtful, ill-favoured, misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong, depression (of spirits); concretely a grief:--heaviness, sorrow.
THESE WORDS AND MANY OTHERS SHOW THE RESULTS OF ALLOWING OURSELVES TO OPEN THE DOORS OF SORROW.
SCRIPTURAL UNDERSTANDING:
HEBREWS 6:1-3 "Therefore, having left the word of the beginning of Mashiak (WHICH MEANS THE FIRST PRINCIPLES), let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of belief towards Yahuah, of the teaching of immersion, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of everlasting judgement. "AND THIS WE SHALL DO, IF YAHUAH INDEED PERMITS."
We have spoken before of "THE FIRST PRINCIPLES" which are written in the above text, and we believe that the Messianics, the Natsarim and Jewish believers have made a religion of the FIRST PRINCIPLES. These, along with THE SHADOW FEASTS OF ISRAEL are the ultimate climax of this so called `RE-NEWED' man-made religion, which then repeats the yearly feasts in a cycle.
This is the BLOCK in the doorway of entering the kingdom/reign of Yahusha. 'Woe to you hyprocrites, you stand in the doorway of the Reign, you won't enter in yourselves, and neither will you suffer those trying to enter', Yahusha said.
Doing the Feasts in Shadow Form (traditions) never reveals Yahusha as Messiah.
Many believers today are trapped in the deadness of man-made religion, believing they are on the true path, but they know something is wrong, which brings them into a "SORROW," which of course is the enemy's full intention (sin creates misery).
Why would the author of the BYNV omit the words, FIRST PRINCIPLES, from his translation, and write in it's place, "THEREFORE, HAVING LEFT THE WORD OF THE BEGINNING OF MASHIAK" instead. How is anybody going to know OR UNDERSTAND that this means "THE FIRST PRINCIPLES."
We are told in verse 3 that after we pass The First Principles, we have to be permitted by Yahuah to go on to full service. This fake-religion of shadow-teaching is blocking many from entering the Reign/Kingdom, and sending them into MENTAL ANGUISH, "SORROW.''
REMEMBER THAT SORROW IS AN IDOL AND WILL LEAD YOU INTO NOTHINGNESS.
