Comments on: Political Lessons and the Humility of Mephibosheth http://5smoothstones.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/mephibosheth-34705-35651-35578/ my postmortem life with Christ Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:29:51 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Liza http://5smoothstones.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/mephibosheth-34705-35651-35578/#comment-568 Liza Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:37:24 +0000 http://5smoothstones.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/mephibosheth/#comment-568 After reading through the article, I feel that I really need more info. Can you share some resources please? After reading through the article, I feel that I really need more info. Can you share some resources please?

]]> By: Dennis Nun http://5smoothstones.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/mephibosheth-34705-35651-35578/#comment-567 Dennis Nun Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:38:02 +0000 http://5smoothstones.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/mephibosheth/#comment-567 I am leading an adult Bible study through the life of David and your summary of this chapter in David's life and his relationship with Mephibosheth was very helpful. But one point in the 3rd paragraph threw up a red-flag for me. You say that Abner was a "son of Saul" and that he "wanted to be king" upon the death of Saul & his sons in battle. But we read in 1 Samuel 14:50-51: 50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. NASU That would make Abner his nephew, not his son, wouldn't it? And the passage we read in 2 Samuel 2:8-10 reads: 2 Sam 2:8-10 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. NASU This makes it clear that Abner didn't see himself as king, but made Ish-bosheth, Saul's son the king over the northern kingdom... and it was his objective to militarily defend that kingdom.. until we read in 2 Samuel 3:6-11 of the falling-out between Abner & Ish-bosheth: 2 Sam 3:6-11 It came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?" 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, " Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman. 9 " May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba." 11 And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he was afraid of him. NASU Abner, was a great military leader, who served both Saul and his sons, but he was his nephew, not his son. I am leading an adult Bible study through the life of David and your summary of this chapter in David’s life and his relationship with Mephibosheth was very helpful. But one point in the 3rd paragraph threw up a red-flag for me.

You say that Abner was a “son of Saul” and that he “wanted to be king” upon the death of Saul & his sons in battle. But we read in 1 Samuel 14:50-51:

50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
NASU

That would make Abner his nephew, not his son, wouldn’t it? And the passage we read in 2 Samuel 2:8-10 reads:

2 Sam 2:8-10
But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
NASU

This makes it clear that Abner didn’t see himself as king, but made Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son the king over the northern kingdom… and it was his objective to militarily defend that kingdom.. until we read in 2 Samuel 3:6-11 of the falling-out between Abner & Ish-bosheth:

2 Sam 3:6-11
It came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, ” Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman. 9 ” May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.” 11 And he could no longer answer Abner a word, because he was afraid of him.
NASU

Abner, was a great military leader, who served both Saul and his sons, but he was his nephew, not his son.

]]>