- 108-
out the punishment appropriate to the inordinate desire after leadership which had
prompted such a crime (ver. 29).^252
A public mourning was ordered, in which the murderers themselves had to take part.
The king in his official character followed the murdered man to his burying,
pronounced over him an appropriate elegy, and publicly announced his intention to
fast, in token of personal mourning. From the remark added in the sacred text (ver.
37), it seems that such proofs of sincerity were requisite to counter-balance the
suspicions otherwise excited by such an instance of treachery and deception in high
places. To his own immediate surroundings - his "servants" (vers. 38, 39) - David
spoke more unreservedly, lamenting the circumstances which still made him
comparatively powerless in face of such reckless chiefs as the sons of Zeruiah.
But, on the other hand, increasing public confidence rewarded David's integrity of
purpose. It was needed, if high-handed crime was to be suppressed in the land.
Another glaring instance of the public demoralization consequent on Saul's long
misrule soon occurred. The death of Abner had naturally the most discouraging
effect, not only upon Ish-bosheth, but upon all his adherents. No one was now left of
sufficient prominence and influence to carry out the peaceable revolution which
Abner had planned. The present weak government could not long be maintained; and
if Ish-bosheth died, the only representative of Saul's line left was a crippled child,
Mephi-bosheth ("the exterminator of shame," or "of Baal"^253 ), the son of Jonathan,
whose deformity had been caused by the nurse letting him fall when snatching him
up for hasty flight on receiving tidings of the disastrous day at Jezreel.
Not even the most ardent partisan could have wished to see on the throne of Israel a
child thus permanently incapacitated. But few could have been prepared for the
tragedy which was so soon to put an end to all difficulties.
It seems that two of Ish-bosheth's "captains of bands," prompted, no doubt, by the
hope of rich reward, had in the most deliberate and treacherous manner planned the
murder of Ish-bosheth. They were brothers, from Beeroth, on the western boundary
of Benjamin, but included in its territory (Joshua 18:25). Hence they were of the
same tribe with Saul, which, of course, aggravated their crime. For some
unexplained reason the Beerothites had fled en masse to Gittaim - perhaps, as has
been suggested, on the occasion of Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites (2 Samuel
21:1, 2). This, however, can scarcely be regarded as the motive of their crime.^254
Probably on pretense of superintending the receipt of what was necessary for the
provisioning of their men, they entered the royal residence at the time when Ish-
bosheth was taking the customary Eastern midday rest, made their way into his bed-
(^)