O and I:
(1) David's reaction to Saul, Jonathan and Iso bosheth's death was unexpected
In 1:14-16 and 4:8, 2 different persons thought David might be please to hear that Saul/Jonathan/Isobosheth were dead and they reported that to David. David killed the messengers in both cases.
1:14 David replied to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the soldiers and said, “Come here and strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. 16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the LORD’s anointed to death.’ ”
4:10 when someone told me that Saul was dead—even though he thought he was bringing good news—I seized him and killed him in Ziklag. That was the good news I gave to him! 11 Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth?”
The messengers might have thought the death of Saul/Isobosheth was good news because people like the death of their enemies. David's reaction was unexpected because he saw things based on 2 facts: killing of Saul and Isobosheth was wrong because 1. Saul was anointed by God and 2. Isobosheth was innocent as he slept in his own house.
(2) Killing the innocent did not please David as in the case of Abner. When David's commander Joab killed Abner, David cursed Joab and his family 3:28-29.
(2) Killing the innocent did not please David as in the case of Abner. When David's commander Joab killed Abner, David cursed Joab and his family 3:28-29.
30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.
Note: Abner killed the brother of Joab during the battle, but Joab killed Abner when he was least expected. That caused the sin of killing the innocent.
Note: Abner killed the brother of Joab during the battle, but Joab killed Abner when he was least expected. That caused the sin of killing the innocent.
(EBC) Abner, however, had killed Asahel “in the battle,” and it is therefore questionable whether the blood vengeance of Joab and Abishai was justified in this case. Indeed, David later excoriates Joab for having shed the blood of Abner “in peacetime as if in battle” (1 Kings 2:5).
Reflection: To David, the existence of Saul, Jonathan, and Isobosheth hindered him from being the king of Israel. However, David did not celebrate when they died. He cared very much about justice. Anointed king from God should not be killed. Innocent people should not be killed. How about us? Do we care about our convenience or do we care about justice? Do we put justice above convenience? That means we will uphold justice even when it is inconvenient to us?
Or more general, do we care about our own point of view or God's point of view? Will we uphold God's way even when it is not convenient to us?
Audrey
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