Civil War: Judah vs. Israel

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people, and so saw the first King of Israel pressed the hilt of his sword against the earth, its point at his chest. He closed his eyes. 00:00:17 Speaker 2: Was the first, but not the last. The battle was lost. 00:00:31 Speaker 1: The men scattered like lost sheep, But in the hills of Judah a shepherd stood prepared to retrieve the scattered sheep of Israel. The two figures approaching were none other than his brothers, Joab and Arsahil. The three collided into each other, embracing with tears and laughs. 00:00:57 Speaker 3: We've been sent by the elders of Jodah. A company of men is just around a bend radiatives. 00:01:03 Speaker 1: When they came within a mile of the gates, they could hear it, a low thrum. As they neared, the sound grew louder. The crowd parted, revealing the elders of Judah atop a high platform of carved stone. 00:01:20 Speaker 4: The giant Slayer, the harvest of Bethlehem, the warrior who would not lift his hand against the king, the outlaw who guarded our borders when our king would not. You have been chosen by God and confirmed by the voice of the people. David, son of Jesse, rise now as King of Judah, not by birthright, but by divine anointing. 00:01:57 Speaker 5: They were all sons of Israel, Yet the Holy land ran red with blood Shelloh, my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel, i'm l extein with the international Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Let me ask you something. What happens when brothers go to war? What happens when loyalty to family collides with loyalty to truth. In today's passage Second Samuel, chapter two, verses nine through thirty two, we witness one of the most painful moments in the Chosen People's story. A kingdom, once bound by covenant, is torn apart by ambition. A son of Saul clings to his father's throne, A son of Jesse waits and head grown. Two kings, one promise, and in the middle swords are drawn. We've seen David rise from shepherd to fugitive to ruler of Judah. We've watched Saul fall, But now the real fracture begins. His story is not for the faint of heart. It's a tale of honor, of grief, of pride, and the cost of divided allegiance. 00:03:11 Speaker 1: The Palace of Saul loomed like a tomb atop the heights of Gibea. Its high towers and black stone walls bore the chill of death, the air inside still heavy with the memory of the king who once brooded within its halls. Within the throne room, torches hissed as the elders of the eleven other tribes of Israel gathered. Ish Bosheth, the last son of Saul, now sat on the throne. He was a thin and long faced man, his limbs too delicate for armor. He was near forty years old, but still gave off the presence of a child. His father's great throne seemed to swallow him. Beside him stood Abnall's commander and right hand. He did not look at Ishbosheth as he spoke to the elders, nor did he need to. Everyone knew who was really in charge. 00:04:12 Speaker 6: Elders of Israel, we stand at a precipice. One misstep and this nation fractures beyond repair. Throwne of Israel was carved for sal by the prophet Samuel himself. To abandon his blood now would be to spit upon that legacy. 00:04:28 Speaker 1: The elders listened, nodding with the hollow weight of old men clinging to order. Some feared change, others feared David. Abner pressed on. 00:04:40 Speaker 6: If we anoint David, this southern shepherd, this outlaw king of Judah, we invite every ambitious sword to claim the crown by force or flattery. Kings are made by birth, not by ballads. 00:04:54 Speaker 1: And yet a wrinkled elder from Dan called out from the back. He spoke with the same curiosity many of the elders felt. 00:05:04 Speaker 7: Prince Jonathan laid down his rights for David. He gave him his ring, his armor that cannot be ignored. 00:05:12 Speaker 1: There was silence. I ish bo Sheath shifted uncomfortably pale and fidgeting. He cleared his throat, attempting regality. 00:05:23 Speaker 7: Ha ha, I am Soul's son. Royal blood flows through my veins. My claim is not for debate. We should have David's head for his treachery. 00:05:35 Speaker 1: The boy stepped down from the dais, trying to own the room, but his words were thin and his confidence brittle. 00:05:44 Speaker 7: If David's allowed to ascend to the throne, that means any mongrel off the streets will fake they ever claim my father wanted him dead for a reason. He's a treacherous little rat. He'll meet the edge of my blade sooner or later. 00:06:00 Speaker 1: Ishbau Sheth swung his father's sword around, clumsily, knocking over a pitcher of wine, which splashed onto the servant girl's. 00:06:10 Speaker 2: Uh clean this up? 00:06:12 Speaker 7: Why is that here anyway? 00:06:15 Speaker 1: Abner's lip Twitchedhbaucheth's arrogance did little to lighten the elder's concern. He needed the boy to remain silent. Ishbau Sheth did little to help his claim by parading himself like a spoiled child. 00:06:31 Speaker 6: My king, perhaps you should go rest and prepare for to night's feast. You will settle this tonight over mead and meat. 00:06:39 Speaker 1: Is bau Sheth nodded at that, turning on his heels and clapping for his attendants to follow. He exited the throne room with a procession behind him. When the doors closed, Abner let out a long sigh. He placed a single hand on the throne, wanting to sit upon it, feeling he deserved to, but restrained himself. He spoke to the elders plainly. 00:07:04 Speaker 6: I'm not blind, brothers, I see what you see Isbashef is a petulant child, but he is their rightful heir. 00:07:13 Speaker 8: Abner, the kingdom is young. It is not too late to name another house to lead us. 00:07:20 Speaker 6: I agree, but the crown David would be to reward Judah for its show of dominance by anointing a king. They communicated to the other tribes that they viewed themselves as a king of their own. 00:07:32 Speaker 1: The elders nodded Judah was the most prominent tribe in Israel. Jacob himself had already appointed at the first among the tribes. 00:07:42 Speaker 6: And not only this, but word is that David worked under the King of God. Do we really trust him to march against the Philistines? 00:07:50 Speaker 1: More murmurs from the elders. Abner knew he was gaining momentum. 00:07:55 Speaker 6: You know me, gentlemen, I led our armies under Saul. I fought at Jilboah and lived. 00:08:02 Speaker 1: I do not ask you to kneel to that boy. 00:08:05 Speaker 6: I ask you to trust the sword that stands beside him. Let Ishbosheth, wear the crown, let him speak the prayers and ride at festivals, but the fight. Leave the fight to me. Let me deliver Israel from the philistines. Let me restore what we've lost, and when our enemies lie broken, then we can speak again of appointing a new king, one that will represent all the tribes, not just big brother Judah. 00:08:32 Speaker 1: He let the silence settle like ash upon the room. The elders looked at each other and nodded in agreement. 00:08:40 Speaker 8: So be it, The crown remains in Gabaya. Yeshkochev shall be king. 00:08:46 Speaker 1: The others echoed him, some with resignation, others with relief. Abnah stood tall. He had what he wanted for now, but he knew how fragile the kingdom was. The sun hung like a burning coin above the hills of Hebron. Sweat slick David's brow, his curls damp against his forehead. He stood in the yard behind the barracks, sword in hand. He was training his men, modeling his movements with a piece of staked timber. He brought his blade down upon it with thunderous might. The woods split clean into sending a spray of splinters into the air. David turned to the young men who were watching him. 00:09:37 Speaker 7: The strength of your strike lies not in your arms. It begins with your feet, Your stance is your truth. Without it, all else fails. A warrior with unsteady footing is like a house built upon sand. A gust of wind and all comes down. 00:10:00 Speaker 1: He nodded and tried to mimic him some better than others. He watched them with pride. David spent as much time with his men as possible. Their hearts were united on those training grounds. David turned to his left, seeing Joab training with his younger brothers Arsahl and Abishai. Joab had intentional, calculated movements. Every stroke of his sword had been planned. Abishi was instinctual, responding to everything that came his way with grace. Arsahl was quick, relying on his speed to get the upper hand in all of it. David couldn't help but feel regret, regret that he'd never shared these relationships with his own brothers, not like that. He gathered the brothers along with Jashabem and Beniah. Joab had been named commander of David's armies, while Beniah had been named captain of David's royal Guard. Tieds well earned titles that would be put to the test. They leaned over a large stone table with maps and ledgers scattered throughout. 00:11:10 Speaker 7: What threat do you see rising first? 00:11:13 Speaker 1: Joab didn't hesitate. 00:11:17 Speaker 3: Abner. Job and Abner have hated each other as long as I can remember. There has nothing to do with it. The tribes have named Ishbosheth king. Abner commands what remains of Saul's host. He gathers men, fortify cities, and speaks of uniting the kingdom under his bubpet. I believe he will strike before summer ends. 00:11:42 Speaker 1: David was quiet. The name Ishbosheth did not stir fear, only a sense of pity. But Abner, Abner was a different matter. 00:11:54 Speaker 7: Then the war is not with the son of Saul, but with the sword that swings for him. 00:12:00 Speaker 3: Aye. And if we strike first and strike hard, it might end in a single blow. 00:12:07 Speaker 1: Civil more. 00:12:10 Speaker 7: Israel against Judah, brother against brother. 00:12:13 Speaker 1: Josh Evine's ears perked at David's tone. 00:12:18 Speaker 8: David, I can feel your heart stirring. But this isn't a matter up honor. You're the king of Judah. We can't allow Abner the chance to march against our walls. 00:12:32 Speaker 7: I understand, but I will not allow blood to be spilled carelessly. We'll meet them, show our strength and posture. Against them, but we will not annihilate them. We'll show them we can be dominated, and hopefully that will bring us back to the negotiating table. 00:12:53 Speaker 3: I will take five hundred of our finest and meet Abner on the field. A single victory may be all that is needed. 00:13:01 Speaker 1: I'll go with you. 00:13:03 Speaker 3: No, no, David, this isn't the right time. 00:13:07 Speaker 8: If Israel and Judah are to unite again, you can't have Israelia bland on your hands. 00:13:14 Speaker 1: David nodded and dismissed them all. Joab turned to leave, but David's voice called him back. Joab, the commander paused. 00:13:25 Speaker 7: In all things, remember the Lord honors a merciful heart. 00:13:31 Speaker 1: Joab's jaw flexed. He bowed low, but the winds that passed across his face did not go unnoticed. Mercy was not a language Joab spoke often. Still, he submitted, as you command, my King. Then he was gone. Gathering the chosen few, the blades, the spears, and the shields, they would ride to meet Abner in the hills between two thrones, one of blood and one of oil. The fog hung low over the Brook of Gibeon, coiling around the roots of ancient trees, The water flowed gently between the gathered hosts of Israel and Judah, a quiet stream dividing one nation into two. On opposite banks. The two armies waited, watched, shifting uncomfortably with every gust of breeze. They were all Hebrews kinsmen by blood, by covenant, by God himself, and yet they stood on the edge of civil war. Blades sheathed, hearts clenched. Joab of Judah and Abner of Israel both stood beneath a weeping willow to negotiate terms of combat. Joab's brothers were behind him. Arsahl couldn't sit still, while Abhishi was cool as ice. The commanders had come to speak, not to fight, But even as they sat there was an old venom between them. It was Abna who spoke first. His voice was calm, but laced with arrogance. 00:15:17 Speaker 6: Come a long way, Joe, ab But I must ask why the throne rests beneath my banner. We have the tribes, we have the numbers. The House of Saul yet stands. We don't have to do this. Lay down your claim and let the crown return to its rightful heir. 00:15:36 Speaker 9: Rightful Abner, You and I both know who is Bosa is, and we also know that Judah alone could grind your entire host and to duzed if David willed it. 00:15:48 Speaker 3: This isn't about numbers, not to us. This is about truth. This is about who was chosen. Spare me the poetry. I know what this is. 00:16:00 Speaker 6: You wanted command under Saul and were denied for me. Now you throw your sword behind a shepherd because he'll make you a commander. 00:16:08 Speaker 1: You don't care about the truth. 00:16:10 Speaker 3: You care for power. 00:16:12 Speaker 1: Joab's hand tightened around the hilt at his side. 00:16:16 Speaker 3: I serve Saul's house then, because I serve our nation. I serve David now for the same reason. I'm a servant of Israel, always will be. But you, Abner, you serve only yourself with ishbosheth. You are a king in all but name. That boy is a puppet, a palry of a man whose spine is held up by your will and ambissure. 00:16:47 Speaker 1: Tell me, Abner, Joab leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. Is what they say true? 00:16:56 Speaker 3: That you've taken Rasbal Saul's concubine as your own. Was she yours to lie with? Or do you wear the king's crown when no one is watching. 00:17:07 Speaker 1: Abner drew his sword in an instant arsa helen. Abishi were quick to draw theirs, but Joeab gestured for them to lower. 00:17:16 Speaker 6: Say another word, and I'll gut you where you stand. 00:17:20 Speaker 1: The two men faced each other, warriors, both seasoned, both deadly. A single lunge, a single misstep, and it would set everything in motion. Neither wanted to make it more sloppy than it needed to be. They were too wise for such things. Even still, Joab loved that he could get a rise out of Abner. Abna stepped back and sheathed his sword. 00:17:48 Speaker 6: Let the young men rise and contend before us, my men against yours. 00:17:54 Speaker 1: Joab smirked at that they weren't Joab's men, they were David's, and that was a hidden strength Abner would soon discover. 00:18:04 Speaker 3: Yes, let them rise. 00:18:10 Speaker 1: The champions stood first, twelve from Judah, twelve from Israel. They looked like statues beneath the trees, the fog coiling around their armor. Then a single horn sounded low and mournful, and they ran. The first collision was like a crack of wood. Each man was matched blow for blow, step for step. They grappled, locked arms, and fell into the muck. Together again and again a sword found flesh, and again the dying man drove his own blade home. They slew each other with mirrored precision. By the end, not one stood. Twenty four lay dead in the field, their corpses crisscrossed like tangled roots. It was a grim omen For a time, neither army moved. Joab stood tall upon a rise, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His brothers, Abishai and arsa Hel flanked him. 00:19:16 Speaker 3: Soldier for soldier were evenly matched, but are united. Army is certainly better than theirs. 00:19:23 Speaker 6: If we kill Abner, we end this needless bloodshed. 00:19:26 Speaker 3: Agreed, my spear is poised for him. He see remember your marks. Don't be hasty. He's seemed more battle in his life than the two of you. In mind, obey my command, understood. 00:19:43 Speaker 1: The brothers nodded. Then Joab drew his blade and shouted to the rest of the men. 00:19:49 Speaker 3: Today we fight for a new Israel. Today we fight for a kingdom united not by blood lines, but by the will of the Lord. 00:19:58 Speaker 9: For David onds anointed, for honor, for strength, for Judah roar like lions. 00:20:07 Speaker 1: The cry roared up from the rants behind him. Abner, jaw clenched, raised his sword and gestured forward advance. The armies crashed like storm tides. Blades met bone, shields splintered. The field became a butcher's yard. Joe ab had chosen his ground well. Half his forces held the center, locking Abner's men in place, while the rest surged in from the flanks. It was not just a battle, it was a trap. The men of Judah, trained by David's own hand, moved with ruthless discipline. Abner's army, larger but less cohesive, buckled under the weight of their assault. The brook of Gibeon ran read that day. Abner's line collapsed. By the time the sun reached its zenith, three hundred and sixty of Israel's sons lay slain on the field, and the rest were broken and retreating into the woods. Clouds whirl, thunder cloud, and a storm had come. 00:21:17 Speaker 6: Abner yelled over the wind, far back, We'll live to fight another day, scattered. 00:21:23 Speaker 2: Him and recruited. 00:21:24 Speaker 1: His command was bitter in his mouth, and one moment he had stom with pride. Now he ran with shame, noying at his heels, and Abner retreated up the jacket, mounting side him and the larsa Hel saw Abner retreating. 00:21:40 Speaker 3: Abner's getting away leave him to a shame. But I can end this now, ashall stop. 00:21:50 Speaker 1: But arsa Hel didn't listen. The youngest son of Zeaiah flew like the wind, lightfooted and fearless, his sore drawn, and I set with fire. Joe, ab and Abish I ran after him, higher and higher. Arsa Hel climbed until his feet touched the slick stones of the summit. The rain had begun to fall. 00:22:13 Speaker 8: Is that you, s a Hell? 00:22:15 Speaker 3: You're mine to kill. You're a fool. Don't come any closer. 00:22:21 Speaker 6: Turn back. It's savor your triumphs not until I have your head. 00:22:27 Speaker 1: Abna backed up all he could until he found the edge of the plateau. There was nowhere else to go. Arsa Hell was beneath him, approaching quickly. Abna turned slowly and drew the spear from his back. 00:22:41 Speaker 6: Turn back, boy, I'm warning you, it doesn't need to end like this. 00:22:47 Speaker 1: But ur sa Hell would not yield. His pride burned brighter than the storm. 00:22:53 Speaker 9: If I say you this war ends, I'll bring your body to my cake. 00:23:00 Speaker 7: The kingdom will be one again. 00:23:03 Speaker 3: Come closer and you die. It's simple as that. I have the high ground. 00:23:08 Speaker 1: As Sir Hel continued, inching forward, poised to charge, Abner's face twisted, not in rage but sorrow. 00:23:18 Speaker 3: You have no foundation. I'll kill you if you come forward. 00:23:23 Speaker 1: Yeah, Arseir Hel leaped, but the rain had made the rock slick and his footing was unsure. Abner cocked his elbows and thrust the spear met flesh with a sickening crunch. Arsa Hel's breath caught. He did not scream. The spear point burst from his back with a cry of anguish. Abner wrenched the spear free, and the boy's body tumbled from the plateau down down. It fell, landing with a thud upon the rocks far below. The rain came harder now then lightning forked across the sky. 00:24:05 Speaker 3: I warned you, God help me, I warned you. 00:24:10 Speaker 1: Abner fled, disappearing into the trees. Joab and Abishi finally made it to the plateau. Joab stepped to the edge and looked down there. Far below, his brother's body lay broken, pierced through with a spear sprawled across the jagged rocks. Together, they climbed down. When they reached Arsahl, Joab knelt and cradled the corpse in his arms, drawing him close. Thunder cracked overhead. Joab's chest heaved, not with sobs, but with rage. He laid his brother down gently on the cold earth, pressed his forehead to arsa Hel's, and then stood Abnah, the name curdled in Joab's mouth. He gripped the hilt of his blade, drew steel, and began to run. Abishi followed, sword in hand, the storm roaring around them. The two of them tore through the forest like wolve, scenting blood. When they finally reached the edge of the woods where Abner was, the commander turned and lifted his arms. 00:25:27 Speaker 3: Stop stop, Joab, I'm warning you. 00:25:31 Speaker 1: Behind him, Abner's men emerged, hundreds of them, weary but armed. You've won, joe Ab. 00:25:38 Speaker 6: If you seek vengeance on me now, your victory will be hollow. 00:25:44 Speaker 3: Your chest will be hollowed out. Will I rip your heart from its place? 00:25:50 Speaker 1: Asahl gave me no choice. 00:25:52 Speaker 6: You know that the boy should have never pursued me. 00:25:55 Speaker 3: I begged him not to. 00:25:57 Speaker 1: Abner's tone softened, heeled to Joeab's reason. 00:26:02 Speaker 6: Shall the sword devour forever? If you pursue me, you know how this ends. You may strike me down, but your death will follow, and my men will be slain, and yours will answer in kind. There will be no kingdom joe Ab, only corpses. 00:26:18 Speaker 1: Joe Ab said nothing. Abish I laid a hand on his brother's arm. 00:26:23 Speaker 2: He's right, brother, there's no victory here. 00:26:26 Speaker 3: Let him go. 00:26:28 Speaker 1: Thunder clapped again, revealing the shadows underneath Joeab's scowl. 00:26:34 Speaker 3: As the Lord lives, Ibner, If your tongue had not spoken, my sword would have not stopped until your men were drowned in blood. 00:26:45 Speaker 1: Slowly, Joeab drew his dagger and clenched the blade in his bare hand. Blood trickled down his palm and dripped onto the stones. He held out the bloodied blade. 00:26:59 Speaker 3: Know this, My brother's blood will not be forgotten. The day will come when you answer for it. 00:27:08 Speaker 1: Abnah felt the words in his bones. Joab's words were no mere threat. They were a prophecy. Joab lifted his horn. It sounded. Joab's men heard and obeyed. The pursuit ended. Abnah turned without another word and marched through the night. He and his men crossed the Jordan and dragged themselves into Mahonaim with blood on their boots and weariness in their bones. Joab carried arsa hell home in his arms the entire way. 00:27:49 Speaker 5: Why do the greatest wounds often come from those closest to us. This wasn't Egypt, this wasn't Babylon, This was Gibeon, a quiet stream. This was a battlefield, not of nations, but of neighbors. All of them were the same covenant, all them bled from the same promise given to Abraham. So what happened? Obner was the field marshal of ish Bushitt Saul's sun and the second king of Israel, and Job was David's field marshal. Verse fourteen tells us then Obner said to Job, let's have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in friend of us. All right, let them do it. Job said or say just suggests that Obner was later killed as a punishment for suggesting these war games, which quickly turned serious into a kind of civil war. 00:28:44 Speaker 7: Well. 00:28:44 Speaker 5: The English translation of this verse reads as fight hand to hand, but the original Hebrew is bay ysach kou, which literally translates to to play. That would read. Then Obner said to John, let's have some of the young men go to play hand in hand in front of us. All right, then let them do it, Job says, So what we learned from this is deep. What began as a kind of playful duel quickly turned into real battles and could even be called a civil war among the Chosen people. There is a serious lesson here. War is not a game. The spilling of blood is a very serious matter. Obner's suggestion brought about real bloodshed the idea. Our modern Israeli army has a beautiful concept called Tohar haneshek, which means purity of arms. Every soldier is taught how serious a matter it is to bear arms, and how he or she must conform to a strict code of the use of weapons, to really use them only when your life is threatened, to bring peace, not more war. And it's a lesson learned from our story today. Our study of the Bible so far has taught us something deep. Division among brothers is one of the oldest wounds. From Cain and Able to Jacob and Esau, to Joseph and his envious kin. The fractured brotherhood haunts the Chosen People's story, and each time it begins with one thing, the struggle for blessing, and we see it again in this story, a story of a fractured kingdom, but also a slow and aching movement towards a greater kingdom. This is not an easy Bible story, the stories of flawed men, this story of a deeply fractured nation. But it's also a story of our patient God. In our fast paced modern world of instant gratification, sometimes we get impatient in God's timing, don't we. We think God is able to make things happen quickly, so we question when he doesn't answer us immediately. Now, David was just a shepherd boy when he received God's promise that one day he would become king. But that promise wasn't fulfilled until David was thirty years old. It took patience, discipline, and trusting God's plan, but David waited upon the Lord, even after Saul's death, when it seemed like the path to the throne was finally clear, even after the nation broke out in civil war and the kingdom was divided between those following Saul's son Ish Boshitt and those who followed David. David could have resolved matters by force, by defeating his enemies, by driving a permanent wedge between the Chosen People, but instead he waited and he trusted in God. David's patience and reliance on God is a model for all of us, because when God seems slow to answer, we can still trust that his plan will be fulfilled in his perfect time. So what else does today's story teach us for us living today in this modern world? Well, where in your life are you tempted to reach for the sword instead of mercy. Maybe it's a family feud, a workplace tension, a political disagreement, or even a silent war inside your own heart. Don't fight like job when God has calling you to wait like David, you can be strung and merciful. You can't tell the truth and preserve peace. The goal is not to win, argument is to reflect God's heart. Be slow to speak, quick to listen, and steady to love. Shaloam from here in the Holy Land. 00:32:46 Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with the isl e stein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the pray dot Com app. Today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of cre creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yiele Eckstein, Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Gotten, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot Com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review,