Daily Bible Reading “Evil Acts Backfire” (2 Samuel 4:1-12)

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Deborah H. Bateman

Evil Acts Backfire

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 4:1-12. When Saul’s son heard about Abner’s death, he was feeble. All of the Israelites were mourning over Abner.

Saul had two men who were captains of bands. One was named Baanah and the other was called Rechab. They were the sons of Rimmon, who was a Beerothite. He was one of the children of Benjamin.

Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son named Mephibosheth who was lame since he was five years old. He fell and got hurt as his nurse tried to flee when they heard of Saul and Jonathan’s death.

Rechab and Baanah went to Ishbosheth’s house one day about noon while he was taking a nap. Ishbosheth wasn’t bothering anybody. He was laying on his bed trying to rest. They pretended they were there to gather wheat. They went into his house and killed him. Then they cut his head off and fled with it.

They took Ishbosheth’s head and presented it to David. Somehow they thought David would be happy about their actions since Saul had pursued David for so long. They acted as if they were doing David a service.

David wasn’t happy about their actions at all. He wasn’t even happy when he was told that Saul had been slain. David insisted that those who did this act had to be punished. He instructed his men to slay the two men for their actions.

Then, they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it, along with Abner, in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.

I know some of these lessons are hard. They aren’t encouraging and inspirational as I would like them to be, but when we’re studying through a book of the Bible we have to take the bad with the good. We’re learning the history of the Bible. That history includes not only the births of the people of the Bible, but also how and when their lives were ended.

One thing we can learn from this lesson is that we can’t expect good to come from evil. When people do sinful acts eventually they will have to pay for them one way or the other. We also learn that David wasn’t looking for revenge on Saul’s family because Saul had pursued him for many years.

First Peter 3:8-9 reminds us, “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 4:1-12

1 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2 And Saul’s son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:
3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)
4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.
6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
10 When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
12 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

Things to think about:

Who was Mephibosheth? What did we learn about him?

Who were Saul’s two band leaders? What did they do?

What was David’s response to their actions?

How did David honor Ishbosheth?

Prayer of the Day:

As we read this Scripture in 2 Samuel we learn that there were those who were evil back in David’s day as well. They did things out of spite, but their actions backfired on them. Help us to realize that it’s not our place to take revenge on those who have wronged us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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Daily Bible Reading “Joab Kills Abner” (2 Samuel 3:22-30)

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Deborah H. Bateman

Joab Kills Abner

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 3:22-30. Joab and David’s servants came in from pursuing a troop. They brought in great treasures which they had collected from the troops. Abner was no longer with David because David sent him away in peace.

When Joab heard that Abner had been there to visit David he was upset. Joab went to David and asked him why he sent Abner away. Joab asked David didn’t he know that Abner only came to make a league with him so he could know David’s comings and goings.

Joab left David and sent messengers to get Abner and bring him back to the well at Sirah, but David didn’t know anything about it.

When Abner returned Joab took him aside to talk to him privately. Then Joab stabbed Abner with his sword and killed him because Abner had killed Ashahel, Joab’s brother, in the battle at Gibeon.

When David heard what Joab did to Abner he said that he and his servants were guiltless of the death of Abner, the son of Ner.

David declared that the responsibility for Abner’s death would fall on Joab and his father’s house since he and his brother conspired to kill Abner in revenge for their brother’s death. They caused even more trouble for their family by taking revenge.

David had no idea what Joab’s intentions were. Had David known he may have been able to stop this from happening.

It is understandable that Joab and his brother were upset over their brother’s death, but does killing someone else resolve the issue? Could we forgive someone for doing such as this?

We are told in Romans 12:19 that vengeance belongs to the Lord, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

We are not to take vengeance into our own hands. If someone does us wrong or hurts us in some way we should turn it over to the Lord and He will take care of it. In due time, everyone will get their just rewards.

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 3:22-30

22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?
25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

Things to think about:

Where had Joab and David’s men been when Abner visited the king?

What did Joab tell David when he found out Abner had been there?

Who did Joab send to find Abner?

What did Joab do when Abner returned?

What was David’s reaction to what Joab did?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture in 2 Samuel we learn that Joab was angry with Abner because of his brother’s death. Joab took his vengeance out on Abner and killed him. You told us in the Scriptures that vengeance belongs to You and You will repay. Help us not to take vengeance into our own hands. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

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Daily Bible Reading “Who Can You Trust?” (2 Samuel 3:12-21)

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Deborah H. Bateman

Who Can You Trust?

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 3:12-21. Abner sent messengers to David asking, “Whose is the land?” He also told them to ask David to make a league with Abner to bring all of Israel under David’s leadership. David agreed to make a league with Abner, but sent word that Abner couldn’t see him unless he brought Michal, Saul’s daughter, who was David’s wife, with him.

David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, telling him to send David’s wife Michal, whom he acquired from Saul for a hundred Philistine foreskins.

Obviously Michal had married someone else because Ishbosheth took Michal from her husband Phaltiel, who was the son of Laish, and sent her to David as he requested. Phaltiel followed her to Bahurim weeping. Then Abner told him to return. So he returned home.

Abner spoke with the elders of Israel, saying, “In the past you wanted David to be king over you, now is the time.” The LORD has spoken saying, “By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.”

Abner also spoke to Benjamin and he went to speak to David in Hebron about what seemed good for Israel, and for the house of Benjamin. When Abner came to David at Hebron he brought twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

Abner told David that he would go and gather all of Israel to my lord the king, so they could make a league with him, so he might reign over all that his heart desired. David sent Abner away. He went in peace.

Could David trust Abner? Was Abner really looking out for David and for Israel? Do you ever wonder, “Who can you trust?”

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

When we put our trust in the LORD and lean on Him to lead, guide and direct our paths, we are less likely to make bad choices about who we can trust.

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 3:12-21

12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.
13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.
17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:
18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

Things to think about:

What kind of pact was Abner trying to make with David?

What was David’s request of Abner?

Have you ever made a pact with someone who had previously been your enemy?

If so, how did it work out?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture in 2 Samuel we see that David and Abner make a league with one another even thought they had previously been enemies. Help us to know who we can trust. Help us to trust Your leadership, guidance and direction in our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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