The Holy Spirit, the divine Author of God's Word has chosen to pass by several years of David's life at this period with but little detail.
David was king at Hebron over the tribe of Judah, and Ish-bosheth, Saul's one surviving son, was king over the other tribes of Israel; the position of David grew stronger, and that of Ish-bosheth weaker, as the time passed. Six children were born to David while he lived at Hebron; three of them had violent deaths—Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah,—and of the other three Scripture tells nothing more than their Flames. We shall not anticipate what later chapters bring out, save to remark that the sad course of David's children did not begin until their father fell into terrible sin. God is not mocked, and "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap!" (see chapter 12:9-10).
Through an angry dispute between Ishbosheth and his warrior leader Abner, was the son of Saul seriously weakened. Abner, offended at his master, turned from him to David, so that he offered to bring the people of the whole land to accept 'David as their king. David demanded and obtained his first wife, Michal, who had been given to another man. And Abner went to the elders of Israel and of Benjamin, reminding them that they had before wanted David to be king, and that God had chosen him for that purpose. Then he went to David and arranged with him to gather the nation to him, to receive him as their king.
When Abner had gone away again, Joab came back to Hebron from an expedition with David's fighting men, and it was told him that Abner had been to the king who had sent him away in peace. Joab thereupon went to David, angry that Abner had been treated in such fashion and as the sequel shows, determined upon his murder. He sent messengers after Abner, unknown to David, and when he came back, Joab, on the pretense of speaking to him peaceably, stabbed him to death.
The shocking murder being made known to David, was disowned by him in the plainest terms, but though he expressed the hope that God would not pass the guilt of it, but visit it upon Joab, David did not punish his nephew. He called upon Joab and all the people to mourn Abner's death, and 'David went to the funeral, weeping and lamenting at the grave, nor would he eat until the evening. The king's behavior in the matter of Abner's murder pleased the people, but he was weak as he himself said (verse 39), for the murderer went unpunished for his deed.