As scholars have recognized, 2 Samuel 2-4 features a “brother” theme. The keyword “brother(s)” occurs nine times in these chapters, over against only one occurrence in 2 Sam 5-12. Two sets of brothers appear: the sons of Zeruiah (Joab, Abishai and Asahel) and the sons of Rimmon (Rechab and Baanah). In chapter 2 Asahel is killed by Abner, prompting Joab and Abishai to kill Abner in chapter 3. Likewise, Rechab and Baanah kill Ishbosheth in chapter 4. All the killing that is done by brothers in this section of 2 Samuel is illustrative of what is happening in the larger storyline: Judah and Israel are fighting each other in a war of brothers (see 2:26-27) and the result is death. Significantly, the keyword “brother” has already occurred once in chapter 1, when David laments the death of his brother Jonathan (1:26). Thus the section where brothers kill and go to war against each other is prefixed by a lament for a brother and this lament is spoken by the very person who will not be involved in the subsequent war of brothers but will instead weep and lament over the death of Abner.
In light of the brother theme in these chapters, it is not surprising that the author alludes to other brother stories throughout the section. This begins in chapter 2 where David returns from exile in the land of the Philistines with his two wives and goes up to Hebron. The only other person that has previously returned to the land from exile with two wives and has gone up to Hebron is Jacob (see Gen 32-35), who is also involved in a dispute between brothers. On his way back to the land Jacob meets angels of God and names the place Mahanaim (Gen 32:2-3). Interestingly, this place also reappears in 2 Sam 2, thus providing another link to the Jacob story. In 2 Sam 2:8 Abner brings Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth over to Mahanaim and there makes him king. While Abner probably chooses Mahanaim for geographical reasons (on the other side of the Jordan, away from David), the location is also appropriate in another sense, for Mahanaim means “two camps” and by making Ish-Bosheth king over Israel Abner has created just that.
After Ish-Bosheth is made king at Mahanaim the narrative continues in chapter 2 with a story that chronicles the outbreak of civil war between Judah and Israel. Brothers fight against brothers and by the end of the day hundreds of men have lost their lives. The lesson at the beginning of the day was not heeded: when Judah fights against Israel, nobody wins, everyone loses (vv 14-16). How differently things would have turned out if they had followed the example of Jacob and Esau. For just as Judah meets Israel after Ish-Bosheth is made king at Mahanaim, Jacob meets his brother Esau after meeting the angels of God at Mahanaim. In both cases the possibility of violence and bloodshed is very real, yet in contrast to the parties in 2 Sam 2 Jacob humbles himself before his brother, seeks a peaceful resolution and in the end the two reconcile. By alluding to the story of Jacob the author thus alerts the reader to what could have happened in 2 Sam 2 if the brothers Judah and Israel had followed the example of their ancestors.
Homework
2 Sam 2:1 features a dialogue between David and the Lord in which the term “go up” occurs three times. There are two previous incidents in the OT where very similar dialogues occur. Where are they found and what is their significance for 2 Samuel 2?
The Word 