the cousin of Saul (being the son of his uncle Ner), and the commander-in-chief of his army. When Saul was slain in the battle of Gilboa, David was made king over his own tribe of Judah, and reigned in Hebron. In the other tribes an influence adverse to Judah existed, and was controlled chiefly by the tribe of Ephraim. Abner availed himself of this state of feeling, and took Ishbosheth, a surviving son of Saul, whose known imbecility had excused his absence from the fatal fight in which his father and brothers perished, and made him king over the tribes, and ruled in his name. A sort of desultory warfare arose between them, in which the advantage appears to have been always on the side of David. In one of the engagements, Abner was beaten and fled for his life; and when pursued by Asahel, the brother of Joab, slew him by a back thrust with the pointed heel of his spear (2 Sam. ii. 8-32). This put a strife of blood between Abner and Joab; for the law of honour which in early times existed among the Hebrews, and which still prevails in Arabia, rendered it the conventional duty of Joab to avenge the blood of his brother upon the person by whom he had been slain.

As time went on, Abner had occasion to feel more strongly that he was himself not only the chief, but the only remaining prop of the house of Saul: and this conviction, acting upon a proud and arrogant spirit, led him to more presumptuous conduct than even the mildness of the feeble Ishbosheth could suffer to pass without question. Abner having taken into his harem a woman who had been a concubine-wife of Saul, was rebuked by the nominal king for his presumption. Being offended by the language of Ishbosheth, Abner resolved to abandon his cause and transfer his allegiance to the son of Jesse. He repaired to Hebron where he made certain overtures to David, which were gladly received, and David in return agreed that he should have the command of the combined armies on the union of the kingdoms. Abner had just left Hebron as Joab who had been absent returned to it, and learning what had taken place between Abner and David, he determined, under the influence of revenge and jealousy, to avenge himself of his adversary. Without the knowledge of the king, he treacherously sent a messenger to call Abner back, under the pretence that he wanted to confer peaceably with him, and while engaged in this conference, Joab led him aside and suddenly plunged his sword into his side. This assassination of Abner might have been dangerous to David, but his deep and genuine grief and lamentation over the cruel and treacherous act of Joab obviated the dangers which it might have produced.