AS A FOOL

‘As a fool dieth’: how and why did Abner end up as he did? And how did David, God’s appointed ruler, respond?

Abner is not without blame. He acts the part of kingmaker, in his own interests, partly at least, 2. 8, 9. His support for Ishbosheth is rebellion against the Lord as well as against David. He is ambitious, acting as if above the law, 3. 6, 7.

However, the villain of the piece is Joab. Motivated partly by revenge for Abner’s killing of his brother, albeit reluctantly in self-defence on the field of battle, and partly by ruthless ambi­tion and self-interest that will not brook a rival to his position as ‘de facto’ head of the army, Joab had slain Abner, and in a despicable manner; murder most foul. He also acts as if above the law. Joab appears prominently ‘when there was anything bad to be done [and] when there was anything great to be won’ W. Kelly. His name is conspicuous by its absence in the list of the mighty men, unlike that of Abishai, also implicated, vv. 30, 39, but who later saves David’s life, 2 Sam. 23. 18, 19.

David is not implicated and disassociates himself totally and publicly from this dastardly deed, vv. 28, 31, 38; he pronounces God’s judgement on Joab’s house, vv. 28, 29, though he does not demote him, let alone call him to account, possibly excusing him­self through ‘weakness’, v. 39. He eulogizes Abner as a ‘prince and a great man’, v. 38, in the same spirit as he had praised Saul and Jonathan, 1. 7-27. He laments his ignominious and untimely death in a concise dirge - ‘Died Abner as a fool dieth?’ David compares his death to that of a fool. This simile engages our minds, making very clear what David is thinking: Abner has been treated as a wicked man, a perverse man, an evildoer and has died ignobly and dishonourably - cast away without a sec­ond thought or regret. How could this happen? Has he been justly put to death by the righteous? Fools and evil men may indeed be restrained, chained and bound, to be put to death by the righteous. No, his hands and feet were free, and moreover he was a valiant man; so how could he be struck down? The solution is clear: he was a victim of a treacherous act by wicked men. How sad, pathetic and shameful his death is!