2 Samuel 3:36-39 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

It pleased them: as whatsoever, &c.— David's behaviour towards Abner had its success. The sincerity of his sorrow was seen by all the people, and he was universally acquitted of all guilt in his death: nor was this all; he took care to let his servants know, and they doubtless took care to inform the people, that nothing but the weak and unsettled condition of his affairs, 2 Samuel 3:39 hindered him from executing just vengeance upon the author of it. In short, his whole behaviour on this occasion gave great satisfaction to his people, as did every part of his conduct. Whatsoever the king did, pleased all the people. Rare felicity of princes! or, shall I add? felicity peculiar to David! The fall of a man like Abner must inspire every mind with grave and serious reflections: A great man fallen! fallen by so unexpected and so surprising a treachery! in the very instant of returning to his duty; and in the eye of a great revolution, seemingly depending upon his fate!—True:—but then this great man sported with the lives of his brethren; and perhaps deliberately opposed himself to the dictates of his known duty to Gods for a series of years. He spilled the first blood shed in this civil war. As to David, he evidently declined all occasion of combat with his adversaries: we hear of him no where out of Hebron during the whole course of this long civil war. This surely may be numbered among his felicities, never to have drawn his sword upon a subject in a contest of seven (and a war of five) years' continuance. It is true, Abner was now returned to his duty; but it is as true, that he returned to it now, as he departed from it before, upon a pique, and from motives of ambition, interest, and revenge. He well knew the purposes and declarations of God in relation to David, and yet he deliberately opposed himself to them. And it is but just in the appointments of Providence, (and nothing is more conspicuous in his government of the world,) not to permit the wicked to effect that good from wrong motives, which they once obstructed upon the same principles. The occasions of duty, once notoriously neglected, seldom return, at least to equal advantage. Let no man decline the good which is in his power; if he once does so, he is no more worthy to be the happy instrument in the hand of God of effecting it.