2 Samuel 2:8-14: a reflection

8Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. 14Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”

After Saul's death, his kingdom is divided: David reigns over Judah, while Saul's son Ishbosheth is set up as king over the other tribes. When the two sides' forces meet at the pool of Gibeon, Abner proposes what sounds almost like a game: Let the young men arise and compete before us. Joab agrees. But this contest between the young men turns instantly deadly, and it becomes the spark of a long and bloody civil war between the two houses.

Notice how quickly a proposed contest became slaughter. What was framed as a competition, young men displaying their skill, was not a game at all; it turned at once into killing, and lit the fuse of a war that would cost many lives. What began as something treated lightly, a contest before watching leaders, escalated immediately into real and deadly conflict. The game was never really a game.

That is a warning about the provocations and rivalries we may treat lightly. Conflicts often begin with what seems like harmless competition, a bit of rivalry, a provocation treated as a game, a testing of strength; but such things can escalate quickly into real harm. What we treat as a light contest can turn deadly, feeding conflicts that grow far beyond what we intended. Do not treat rivalry and provocation lightly, as though they were harmless games. Be careful of the contests and provocations that seem like sport but can escalate into real destruction. Guard against feeding conflict, even in what seems playful; for what begins as a game can turn deadly, as the contest at Gibeon turned into war.

Lord, after Saul's death, when the divided kingdom's forces met, Abner proposed a contest between the young men, which turned instantly deadly and sparked a long civil war; what was framed as a game was never really a game. Warn me about the provocations and rivalries I may treat lightly. Conflicts often begin with what seems like harmless competition, a bit of rivalry, a provocation treated as a game, a testing of strength; but such things can escalate quickly into real harm. What I treat as a light contest can turn deadly, feeding conflicts that grow far beyond what I intended. Keep me from treating rivalry and provocation lightly, as though they were harmless games. Make me careful of the contests and provocations that seem like sport but can escalate into real destruction. Guard me against feeding conflict, even in what seems playful; for what begins as a game can turn deadly, as the contest at Gibeon turned into war. Give me a peaceable heart.