In
1 Samuel 22:1, we learn that when David escaped from Saul and went to live in
the cave of Adullam, his brothers and father’s household heard of where he was,
and they went to join him there. So this was when Joab and his two brothers
came to unite with David. The names of his two brothers were Abishai and
Asahel. Joab was younger than Abishai but older than Asahel. That made him the
middle child. So the three brothers had been serving David. The second half of
2 Samuel 2:18 reveals that Asahel was swift-footed like a gazelle in
the field. In other words, he was fast, swift, and steady.
Led
by Joab, his two brothers were part of the team that confronted Abner and his
men at the pool of Gibeon. In that confrontation, 24 people were killed, and
the blood that was spilled enraged both sides such that a battle broke out.
Being more robust, David’s men were winning. They had beaten the men of
Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son. Abner then had to flee from the battleground with the
swift and sure-footed Asahel hot on his heel. Verse 19 tells us that Asahel
neither turned to the left nor the right but went straight after Abner. In
other words, he was very focused and determined. As Abner looked behind him, he
realized that he was being pursued. He then called out to check if it was
Asahel who was closing-up on him. When Asahel said it was him, he then coaxed
him not to go after him but to go after one of his men instead. The reason
Abner was unwilling to fight or hurt Asahel was in consideration of Joab. He
knew that if he had hurt Asahel, Joab would never let matters rest. But Asahel
refused to back away despite Abner’s repeated pleas.
Since
Asahel could not be persuaded, Abner could not help but fight back. Taking the
butt of his spear, he struck the belly of Asahel. Because of the latter’s momentum,
the butt of the spear went right through his belly and came out through his
back. He immediately fell to the ground and died on the spot. Everyone who
followed way behind him stopped when they arrived at the spot where he fell
dead. It was a sad end for him. This certainly intensified the hatred Joab
had for Abner.
Didn’t
the three brothers and Abner belong to the same team during Saul’s regime? Why
then did the matter reach this height? It can be traced to the problem of
disunity. It was a problem started by Saul and continued by Abner. We all know
that disunity always leads to needless bickering. We can also be sure pride is
a key contributor in all disunity. The problem of disunity always degenerates
into discontent, infighting, and division. This is where we must take the words
of Psalm 133:1 seriously. It says, “Behold, how
good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.” Unity
is strength. When unity is our foundation, we will experience victory together.
So unite not divide!
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