The end of the civil war comes about not by peaceful means, but by murder. Two of Ish-bosheth’s leaders killed him while he slept, and took his head to David, looking for a reward. Maybe they were thinking of what Joab had done to Abner, pretty much getting away with murder. Yet David rewarded them for killing Ish-bosheth by having them killed.
Notice that David personally had not fought in a battle against Israel. Joab his general had led the army to do so, but David had not. He honored and feared God so that he would not lift his and against Saul OR his son, Ish-bosheth. David knew that God’s will would be done. David would be king. He would not hurry it along by lifting his hand against the house of Saul.
May we be as willing to love our enemies as David did, or even more so as Christ did when He died for us!