Daily Devotional

“Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David” (2 Samuel 2:10). 

Everyone “knows” that George Washington was the first American president, right? Well, there are those who argue that Washington really wasn’t the first. They say that this distinction belonged to John Hanson, a Maryland plantation owner and politician who was elected to a one-year presidential term under the Articles of Confederation, the document establishing the 13 former colonies as a separate nation. (Washington was elected after the Constitution of the United States was adopted in 1789.) 

In the same way, many people “know” that David was the next king of Israel after Saul. Well, not exactly. It was Ishbosheth (also known as “Esh-Baal” in the Old Testament), Saul’s youngest son, who followed his father as Israel’s king. He ruled over all of Israel except David’s Judah. 

It was God’s purpose for David to rule all of Israel, and as God’s anoint- ed choice, you might imagine it a simple thing for him to get Ishbosheth out of the way. But the battle to unify the kingdom under David lasted two years, turning only when Abner, the trusted general under Saul and then Ishbosheth, came over to David’s side. Knowing he was in for a defeat, Ishbosheth agreed to David’s peace terms, which included the return of Michal, David’s wife and Ishbosheth’s sister, to David. 

David was compassionate toward Ishbosheth. Instead of having him killed, he let the ex-ruler live in peace, until Ishbosheth’s own men assassinated him not long after Abner died. David was displeased with these soldiers, and now with all the authority of the land, he had them executed. 

Because David loved God, he was compassionate with people. That’s a good lesson to remember as we move through life. 

Lord, help me to care for others, even when they make life difficult.