You know the story of “Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.” (1 Sam. 14:50). You remember he was captain of Saul’s host (2 Sam. 2:8) and fought for Saul’s family for some years after David was crowned king. David seems always to have honored and admired Abner, and when at last he came to make peace, David received him and made him a feast. Joab was jealous of Abner and at that time murdered him in cold blood. It was for this deed, in part, that Joab was later put to death. David tells us what he thought of Abner, when he said: “Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel.”
It is very refreshing, in view of this sad murder, to find that David made Jaasiel, Abner’s son, ruler of the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chron. 27:21).