Shmuel II Chapters 3–4 | "And David grew stronger, while the house of Sha’ul…"

Chapter 3 begins with a stark declaration: "The war between the house of Sha’ul and the house of David proved long and drawn out; David grew stronger while the house of Sha'ul grew weaker " (3:1). There is an ongoing conflict between the house of David and the house of Sha’ul. By the end of Chapter 4, both the commander of Sha’ul's army and the king of his house are dead. If we hadn't read the detailed verses, the obvious assumption might be that, amidst the war, David's side triumphed and wiped out Sha’ul's household.

Reading the text itself reveals a reality far more complex. Avner, following a personal dispute with Ish Boshet, proposes to transfer all of Israel's loyalty to David. David accepts Avner and even hosts a feast for him. Why does David trust Avner? Could Avner be deceiving David as part of a ploy to undermine his kingdom? Perhaps this doubt is why David demands the return of Michal, Sha’ul’s daughter — potentially as proof of Avner's genuine intentions. Once Avner fulfills this demand, it seems David places full confidence in him. In verses 21–23, the repetition of the phrase "David dismissed him and he departed in peace" appears three times, emphasizing that David does not harm Avner, despite his position as the opposing army's commander, and lets him depart unharmed. It seems that the covenant between them is mutual and sincere.

At this point, Yoav enters the narrative. Yoav criticizes David for letting Avner go in peace and deceitfully arranges to assassinate him independently. Note the contrast between Yoav's stated motive — that Avner was a spy — and the verse’s revelation of Yoav’s true motive: "for the blood of Asael, Yoav's brother" (3:27). In response, David declares, "I and my kingdom are forever blameless before the Lord for the blood of Avner son of Ner" (3:28), and takes steps to prove his innocence. David mourns for Avner, fasting, weeping, and composing a lament for him. His lamentation notably parallels his lament for Sha’ul, likely not by coincidence. By the chapter's end, David’s actions seem to achieve their goal: "And on that day all the troops - and all of Israel – knew that it was not the king who had put Avner son of Ner to death" (3:37).

However, Chapter 4 opens with a different atmosphere: "When Sha’ul’s son heard that Avner had died in Chevron, he lost his grip, and all of Israel became anxious" (4:1). Avner’s death causes great fear among the remnants of Sha’ul’s kingdom. Why? Could it be that not everyone trusted David’s claim of goodwill toward Sha’ul’s household? This seems possible, as Rekhav and Baana, assassins of Ish Boshet, expect to be rewarded by David for their actions. They present Ish Boshet’s head to David, saying: "Here is the head of Ish Boshet, son of your enemy Sha’ul, who sought your life. On this day the Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Sha’ul and his seed" (4:8).

David responds with intense harshness, executes them, and buries Ish Boshet’s head in Avner’s grave. By connecting these three incidents — the Amalekite who reported Sha’ul’s death, Ish Boshet’s assassination, and Avner’s murder — David demonstrates his consistent stance against any harm to Sha’ul’s household.

Through these events, David clarifies his approach: he establishes his rule not by eradicating the previous dynasty but by seeking continuity with it. This stance underscores his desire to be a king accepted by all Israel — a theme that will recur throughout the book.

David and Yoav: One of the most complex relationships in Shmuel II is that between David and the sons of Tzeruya, particularly Yoav. In this narrative, David fiercely condemns Yoav’s killing of Avner, going so far as to curse Yoav and his descendants. Despite this, Yoav remains David’s military commander. The tension in their relationship persists in later episodes, such as the rebellion of Avshalom and the rebellion of Sheva son of Bikhri. On one hand, Yoav is one of David’s most loyal allies; on the other, he repeatedly kills those whom David explicitly commands to spare. The peak of this strained relationship appears in David’s final instructions to Shlomo at the beginning of Kings I. For more on this topic, see Dr. Yoshi Fargeon's brief overview here.