2 Samuel 3

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The chapter details the ongoing war between the house of Saul and the house of David, with David's power increasing. Abner, Saul's general, angered by Ishbosheth, pledges allegiance to David and works to unite Israel under him. However, Joab, David's commander, murders Abner in Hebron as revenge for his brother's death, deeply grieving David, who publicly disavows the act.

The War Continues; David's Strength Grows 1–5

Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner and Ishbosheth Quarrel 6–11

And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.

Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-boshethsaid to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?

Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah hath sworn to David, I do not even so to him;

to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.

And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

Abner Negotiates Peace with David 12–16

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? sayingalso, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee; but one thing I require of thee: that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish.

And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return: and he returned.

Abner Persuades Israel's Elders 17–21

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:

now then do it; for Jehovah hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.

So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner 22–27

And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.

And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

David Denounces the Murder 28–30

And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.

So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David Mourns Abner Publicly 31–39

And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier.

And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

And the king lamented for Abner, and said, Should Abner die as a fool dieth?

Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: As a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept again over him.

And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun be down.

And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me: Jehovah reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Samuel 3

Verse 1

waxed stronger and stronger — The Hebrew has David 'going' (halak) and strong (chazeq), and Saul's house 'going' and weak (dal, low), the same going-on form as 'more and more' in Prov 4:18. The war began at Gibeon (2 Sam 2:12–17), and it falls within David's seven years and six months in Hebron (2 Sam 5:5).

Verse 2

his firstborn was Amnon — The list runs to v.5, six sons by six wives, 'These six were born unto him in Hebron' (1 Chr 3:4). Ahinoam the Jezreelitess had become David's wife with Abigail (1 Sam 25:43). Amnon and Absalom, both named here, are the sons of 2 Sam 13, and Adonijah, the fourth (v.4), is the one who says 'I will be king' in 1 Kgs 1:5.

Verse 6

Abner made himself strong — The verb is chazaq in the reflexive, the one used of David in 1 Sam 30:6, 'encouraged himself'. Abner had himself taken Ishbosheth and 'made him king' (2 Sam 2:8–9). In this verse the strength belongs to Abner for the house of Saul, and Ishbosheth is not named until v.7.

Verse 7

Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah — A concubine (pilegesh) of Saul, who bore him two sons (2 Sam 21:8). To take a king's concubine was to claim his place: Ahithophel told Absalom, 'Go in unto thy father's concubines' (2 Sam 16:21), and Solomon heard Adonijah's request for Abishag as 'ask for him the kingdom also' (1 Kgs 2:22). Abner's reply in v.8 does not deny the charge.

Verse 8

Am I a dog's head — 'Dog' (keleb) is a word of contempt, as in 'dead dog' (2 Sam 9:8; 16:9); 'dog's head' occurs only here. Abner counts the 'kindness' (chesed) he has shown the house of Saul, and that he had not 'delivered thee into the hand of David'. The 'fault' laid on him is literally an iniquity ('avon).

Verse 9

as the LORD hath sworn to David — 'So do God to Abner, and more also' is a self-curse, as in Ruth 1:17 and 1 Kgs 19:2. Abner puts his turn under what the LORD had said of David: the kingdom 'rent… from thee' and given 'to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou' (1 Sam 15:28), spoken again by Samuel in 1 Sam 28:17. Verse 10 spells it out.

Verse 12

Make thy league with me — 'Make' is karath, to cut, the idiom for covenant-making (berith). The same words come at Hebron in 2 Sam 5:3, where the elders of Israel came and 'king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD'. 'To bring about' is sabab, to turn round, so that all Israel is turned to David.

Verse 13

Michal Saul's daughter — David had won her with Philistine foreskins (1 Sam 18:27), and Saul had afterwards given her to Phalti (1 Sam 25:44). The condition 'Thou shalt not see my face, except…' has the form of Joseph's words to his brothers: 'Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you' (Gen 43:3, with Gen 44:26).

Verse 16

weeping behind her to Bahurim — Her husband is Phaltiel the son of Laish, whom Ishbosheth had taken her from (v.15). Bahurim was a Benjamite town, the home of Shimei the son of Gera (2 Sam 19:16). Abner's 'Go, return' and the single word 'he returned' (shub, to turn back) close the scene in a line.

Verse 18

I will save my people Israel — 'Save' is yasha', and Abner reports it to the elders of Israel (v.17) as something the LORD had spoken of David, 'my servant'. The task had been given of Saul, that 'he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines' (1 Sam 9:16), and the LORD called David 'my servant' in Ps 89:3.

Verse 22

he was gone in peace — 'In peace' (shalom) is said of Abner's leaving in vv.21, 22 and 23. Joab's men return from 'pursuing a troop' (gedud, the raiding band of 1 Sam 30:8) with 'a great spoil', and learn that Abner has come and gone. Joab is the brother of Asahel (2 Sam 2:18–23), whom Abner had killed.

Verse 25

Thou knowest Abner — Joab's charge is that Abner came to 'deceive' (pathah, to entice) David and 'to know thy going out and thy coming in', the idiom Achish used of David's conduct in 1 Sam 29:6. The text gives no sign of such an aim, and David had already sent Abner away, and 'he went in peace' (v.21).

Verse 27

under the fifth rib — The words are those of 2 Sam 2:23, where Abner 'smote him under the fifth rib', Asahel. Joab's reason is 'the blood of Asahel his brother'. David later calls the deed 'the blood of war in peace' (1 Kgs 2:5). Hebron, where it happened in the gate, was also one of the cities appointed for refuge (Josh 20:7).

Verse 28

guiltless before the LORD for ever — 'Guiltless' is naqi, clear. Blood brings guilt on the land (Num 35:33), so David clears himself and his 'kingdom' (mamlakah) together, and 'for ever' ('ad 'olam) makes it a standing declaration before the LORD. He speaks 'afterward', when he heard it.

Verse 29

an issue… a leper — The curse names five afflictions: an 'issue' (zub), a 'leper' (tsara'), one that 'leaneth on a staff', one that 'falleth on the sword', and one that 'lacketh bread'. 'Rest' is chul, to whirl or fall down upon, so the guilt is to fall on Joab's head and house. A curse passing to descendants occurs also in 2 Kgs 5:27.

Verse 31

mourn before Abner — The order is given 'to Joab, and to all the people that were with him', so Joab, who had done the killing, is among those told to mourn. 'Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth' are the acts of Jacob in Gen 37:34. The 'bier' is mittah, the word translated 'bed' in 1 Sam 28:23, and 'king David himself followed' it.

Verse 34

as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou — 'Fetters' are nechosheth, copper or bronze, the 'fetters of brass' that bound Samson (Judg 16:21). 'Wicked men' is literally 'sons of' 'evel, wrongdoing. The elegy says Abner was not taken captive but 'fell', the verb of David's lament over Saul, 'how are the mighty fallen!' (2 Sam 1:19).

Verse 35

So do God to me, and more also — The oath formula Abner swore in v.9, now sworn by David against himself, that he would taste no bread 'till the sun be down'. A fast until evening matches the mourning for Saul in 2 Sam 1:12, when they 'mourned, and wept, and fasted until even'. The people came to 'cause David to eat' while it was still day.

Verse 37

all the people and all Israel understood — 'Understood' is yada', knew. The verse names two groups, 'all the people' and 'all Israel', so the northern tribes whose commander had died are included. The verdict that 'it was not of the king to slay Abner' stands against Joab's act, and David states his own in v.39: 'the LORD shall reward the doer of evil'.

Verse 39

the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me — 'Weak' is rak, tender, 'though anointed' (mashach) king. The sons of Zeruiah are Abishai, Joab and Asahel (1 Chr 2:16). David leaves the matter with the LORD, and in his last charge to Solomon returns to it (1 Kgs 2:5–6). Solomon says the LORD would 'return his blood upon his own head' for Abner and Amasa (1 Kgs 2:32).