In the time after Saul and Jonathan had died, and before David had consolidated his kingdom, there was war between the forces of David and those of Ishbosheth. Abner led the forces of Ishbosheth, and Joab led David’s men.
Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and compete before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise." Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon. And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
The two armies come together; Joab’s men are not numerous, but they are hardened by dozens of battles under Joab and David’s leadership. Abner’s men may very well be more numerous, but the loss of many men in the same battle that ended the life of Saul and Jonathan has weakened both their experience and number. Both leaders feel compelled to fight, but neither can afford large losses. So they come up with a plan. They will engage in representative combat, much like what had happened with David and Goliath. Here though, they counted off every so many men until they had picked twelve for each side (perhaps representative of the twelve tribes, now divided and fighting a civil war here). The young men are to arise and “play” before Joab and Abner. This “play” is actually gladiatorial combat. Archeology confirms accounts of similar outcomes in similar contests in other places: all of the combatants die. Because the victor is not clear, general fighting breaks out, and things don’t go well for Abner.
And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. Then Abner looked behind him and said, "Is it you, Asahel?" And he answered, "It is I." Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil." But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?"
Asahel doesn’t get Abner’s point. Asahel is caught up in the moment. He is not thinking about the past, not remembering the history of Abner’s many victories, not seeing that Abner has survived 100% of the battles that he has fought, win or lose. He has forgotten that Abner is a very dangerous old man. Asahel is not thinking about the future either; at best, by discounting Abner’s skill and experience, he has a 33% chance of surviving this contest (Joab could die, Asahel could die, or they both could die). Even if Asahel wins, he invites revenge from Abner’s clan. Abner is in the moment, too, but he wisely accesses his past experience with this young man and decides to dissuade him from combat. When Abner looks to the future, he sees that anything but Asahel’s turning aside will lead to a lose-lose situation: either Abner will die or face vendetta from his two brothers, and perhaps Asahel’s uncle David as well. Abner wants to live tomorrow, but Asahel wants glory today.
But [Asahel] refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.
Such is the ambition and energy of Asahel’s pursuit that he skewers himself on the sandy end of Abner’s spear. Asahel couldn’t leave the moment to consider the past or the future, and now he will never leave this moment at all. Twenty-four bodies in a bloody pile do not have the power to stop an army the way that Asahel’s stricken body does. And Abner turns out to be right; killing Asahel has allowed him to survive one threat, but relief is brief. Now two brothers pursue with a vengeance, literally a vendetta. Abner’s savvy allows him to survive to fight another day, but eventually his analysis proves to be correct; he will lose his life over this battle.
How are we doing in keeping our present connected with our past and our future? Failure to do this may mean failure altogether. Success at this doesn’t guarantee that we’ll always have victory, but it does hold out promise that we’ll live to work on our lives tomorrow.
May God bless us with the wisdom to use the time of our life well.
Ron
2 Samuel 2:12-23 – ESV
