which he belonged. Northern and central Palestine were in the hands of
the Philistines,--ten of the tribes still adhering to the house of Saul,
under the leadership of Abner, the cousin of Saul, who proclaimed
Ishbosheth king. This prince, the youngest of Saul's four sons, chose
for his capital Mahanaim, on the east of the Jordan.

[Footnote 3: Authorities differ as to the precise date of David's
accession.]

Ishbosheth was, however, a weak prince, and little more than a puppet in
the hands of Abner, the most famous general of the day, who, organizing
what forces remained after the fatal battle of Gilboa, was quite a match
for David. For five years civil war raged between the rivals for the
ascendency, but success gradually secured for David the promised throne
of united Israel. Abner, seeing how hopeless was the contest, and
wishing to prevent further slaughter, made overtures to David and the
elders of Judah and Benjamin. The generous monarch received him
graciously, and promised his friendship; but, out of jealousy,--or
perhaps in revenge for the death of his brother Asahel, whom Abner had
slain in battle,--Joab, the captain of the King's chosen band,
treacherously murdered him. David's grief at the foul deed was profound
and sincere, but he could not afford to punish the general on whom he
chiefly relied. "Know ye," said David to his intimate friends, "that a
great prince in Israel has fallen to-day; but I am too weak to avenge
him, for I am not yet anointed king over the tribes." He secretly
disliked Joab from this time, and waited for God himself to repay the
evil-doer according to his wickedness. The fate of the unhappy and
abandoned Ishbosheth could not now long be delayed. He also was murdered
by two of his body-guard, who hoped to be rewarded by David for their
treachery; but instead of gaining a reward, they were summarily ordered