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2 Samuel
Chapter Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 3
This
chapter begins with the continuation of the war between the house of Saul and
the house of David, 2 Samuel 3:1; and
gives an account of the wives of David, and his sons by them, 2 Samuel 3:2; of a quarrel
between Ishbosheth and Abner, 2 Samuel 3:6; and
of Abner's proposal to make a league with David; but David would not see his
face unless Michal his wife was returned to him, who was accordingly, 2 Samuel 3:12; and
of the interest Abner made with the elders of Israel in favour of David, which
he reported to him, and promised to make more, 2 Samuel 3:17; but
Joab returning from a pursuit, and with great spoil, just as Abner departed,
and hearing of it, chided David for letting him go, and privately sent for him
back, and treacherously murdered him, 2 Samuel 3:22; from
which murder David cleared himself and his kingdom, and for it made dreadful
imprecations on Joab and his family, 2 Samuel 3:28; and
buried Abner with great lamentation, expressing much concern for his death, and
the high opinion he had of him, 2 Samuel 3:31.
2 Samuel 3:1 Now
there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But
David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
YLT
1And the war is long between
the house of Saul and the house of David, and David is going on and [is]
strong, and the house of Saul are going on and [are] weak.
Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house
of David,.... The recent battle, though so much in favour of David, did
not, put an end to the war between him and Ishbosheth, which lasted five years
longer; for it was when Ishbosheth had reigned two years that that battle was
fought, and he reigned five years longer; for not till his death, and when
David had reigned above seven years in Hebron, was he made king over all
Israel; and during this time peace was not made, but the war carried on; though
perhaps not in pitched battles, of which we no more read, but in skirmishes:
but David waxed stronger and stronger; he having the
advantage in all such skirmishes, and persons continually coming over to his
side from the several tribes:
and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker: being always
worsted whenever they skirmished with David's men, and by continual revolts
from them. This is reckoned an emblem of the kingdoms of Christ and antichrist,
the one increasing more and more, as it has and will do, and the other
decreasing, and before long will be consumed; and of the two parties in a
regenerate man, grace and indwelling sin, the one as to its exercise growing
stronger and stronger, and the other as to its influence on the outward
conversation weaker and weaker.
2 Samuel 3:2 2 Sons were born to David in
Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
YLT
2And there are born to David
sons in Hebron, and his first-born is Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,
And unto David were sons born in Hebron,.... He was
married before he came there, had wives in his state of exile, but had no
children by them there, at least no sons; if any, only daughters:
and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; who being
mentioned first, and her son his firstborn, seems to have been his wife before
be took Abigail; he had not much comfort of this firstborn son of his; see 2 Samuel 13:1.
2 Samuel 3:3 3 his second, Chileab, by
Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah,
the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;
YLT
3and his second [is]
Chileab, of Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third [is] Absalom son
of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur,
And the second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the
Carmelite,.... That is: who had been the wife of Nabal. This son's name is
called Daniel, 1 Chronicles 3:1;
and was the first name he had, and which his father gave him, because as if he
should say, "God hath judged me", and pleaded the cause of his
reproach from Nabal, 1 Samuel 25:39; but
why he should be called Chileab is not easy to say; the name is commonly
thought to signify "like unto his father", or "all father":
had all the features of his father, and was exceedingly like him; the Jews have
a fabulous story concerning thisF23Jarchi, Kimchi, & Abarbinel
in loc. , not worth relating:
and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai
king of Geshur; in 1 Samuel 27:8 we
read of David's invading the land of the Geshurites; and the Jews sayF24Tanchuma
apud Abarbinel in loc. that he then took the daughter of this king captive, and
she being a beautiful woman married her, after made a proselyte according to
the law in Deuteronomy 21:10;
but it should be observed that David slew all the women of that country, and
left not any alive; and besides that lay to the south of Judah, whereas this
Geshur, of which Talmai was king, was a part of Syria, 2 Samuel 15:8; and
lay to the north of the land of Israel; and with this king David hereby entered
into an alliance, to strengthen his interest against Ishbosheth in those parts;
of the trouble he met with from Absalom, see 2 Samuel 13:1,
&c. contrary to the expectations he had raised when he gave him the name of
Absalom, or Leabsalom, as in 1 Chronicles 3:2;
that is, one given "for his father's peace".
2 Samuel 3:4 4 the fourth, Adonijah the
son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
YLT
4and the fourth [is]
Adonijah son of Haggith, and the fifth [is] Shephatiah son of Abital,
And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith,.... The same
that usurped the throne before his father's death, to anticipate Solomon, and
died by his order, 1 Kings 1:5,
and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; of whom we
read nowhere else.
2 Samuel 3:5 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by
David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
YLT
5and the sixth [is] Ithream,
of Eglah wife of David; these have been born to David in Hebron.
And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife,.... Who also
is not spoken of in any other place; only, in a like chronological account as
the former, it is remarked that the mother of this only is called David's wife;
the reason of which is supposed to be, either because she was a person of no
note, and had nothing else to distinguish her; but the same may be said of the
two foregoing; or because she was his beloved wife, his heifer, as her name
signifies; hence the JewsF25T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 21. 1. Hieron.
Trad. Heb. in 2 Reg. fol. 77. F. take her to be Michal his first wife, whom he
greatly loved, and who, though she had no children after her contempt of David
for playing before the ark, unto the day of her death, yet might have before:
but it should be observed, that as yet she was not returned to David in Hebron;
and when she was returned, did not seem to continue there long enough to have a
son there; and besides, being his first wife, would not be reckoned last; but
still more foreign is another notion of the JewsF26In Kimchi &
Ben Gersom in loc. , that she was Saul's widow, who though she might not be
married to another might be married to a king, as David was; and this they
suppose receives some confirmation from 2 Samuel 12:8; but
after all it may be this phrase "David's wife", as some have
observed, by a figure the rhetoricians call "zeugma", or
"hypozeugma", is to be joined to everyone of the women before
mentioned, 2 Samuel 3:2, who
were his wives, and so called to distinguish them from his concubines, by whom
he had sons also. Polygamy, or plurality of wives, which David gave into, is no
favourable part of his character.
2 Samuel 3:6 6 Now it was so, while there
was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was
strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.
YLT
6And it cometh to pass, in
the war being between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner hath
been strengthening himself in the house of Saul,
And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul
and the house of David,.... As long as that continued, as it did until the following
quarrel happened between Ishbosheth and Abner:
that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul; or was
strongly in the interest of that house, and used his utmost endeavours to
support and confirm it.
2 Samuel 3:7 7 And Saul had a concubine,
whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said
to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
YLT
7and Saul hath a concubine,
and her name [is] Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and [Ish-Bosheth] saith unto Abner,
`Wherefore hast thou gone in unto the concubine of my father?'
And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the
daughter of Aiah,.... By whom he had two sons, 2 Samuel 21:8.
JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 4. calls her father's name
Sibathus:
and Ishbosheth said to Abner; though the word
"Ishbosheth" is not in the text, it is rightly supplied; for no other
can be supposed to speak:
wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? and defiled
her; though perhaps it was not so much the act of uncleanness that so much
offended him, or the dishonour reflected on him and his family thereby, as it
discovered an ambitious view in Abner to get the kingdom into his own hands, to
which this was the leading step; see 1 Kings 2:22.
Whether Abner was really guilty of this sin or no is not easy to determine;
though, by his not absolutely denying it, it looks as if it was not merely a
jealousy of Ishbosheth, or a false report made unto him; though, especially if
he was not fully satisfied of it, it would have been his wisdom to have said
nothing of it to him, since his continuance on the throne so much depended on
him.
2 Samuel 3:8 8 Then Abner became very
angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that
belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his
brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of
David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?
YLT
8And it is displeasing to
Abner exceedingly, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he saith, `The head
of a dog [am] I -- that in reference to Judah to-day I do kindness with the
house of Saul thy father, unto his brethren, and unto his friends, and have not
delivered thee into the hand of David -- that thou chargest against me iniquity
concerning the woman to-day?
Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth,.... If false
he had a good deal of reason for it; and if true, he thought he deserved better
at his hands, than to be reproved for and upbraided with what he might think
was a very small fault, and might easily be connived at, and especially in one
that had been so serviceable to him:
and said, am I a dog's head; such a mean, vile,
contemptible person with thee, as if no better than a dog, and as useless and
as unserviceable as a dead dog, the head of a dog cut off; see 1 Samuel 24:14 2 Samuel 9:8; or am
I esteemed and to be treated as a head of dogs, a keeper of a pack of hounds,
and not as a general of the armies of Israel? so Jarchi and others; but it
seems rather to respect the filthy nature of a dog, that will couple with any;
and so the sense is, am I such a filthy lustful creature that care not with
whom I lie, no more, than a dog?
which against Judah do show kindness to the house of Saul thy
father,
to his brethren, and to his friends; who in opposition to the
tribe of Judah, which alone abode by David, had shown respect to the family of
Saul, and all his friends, by his close attachment to Ishbosheth:
and have not delivered thee into the hand David; when it was
in his power to have done it many a tithe:
that thou chargest me today with a fault concerning this woman? he neither
denies nor owns the charge, and yet, by his not denying it, tacitly owns it;
though, by his way of speaking, he suggests as if it was no fault at all, at
least a very trifling one, and such as ought not to have been mentioned to him,
considering the services he had done to Ishbosheth and his family.
2 Samuel 3:9 9 May God do so to Abner,
and more also, if I do not do for David as the Lord has sworn to
him—
YLT
9thus doth God to Abner, and
thus He doth add to him, surely as Jehovah hath sworn to David -- surely so I
do to him:
So do God to Abner, and more also,.... He wishes the worst
of evils to himself, such as he cared not to name; but left them to be supposed
what he meant as utter ruin and destruction of himself, soul and body:
except as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; meaning if he
did not do that David, which God had sworn should be done, namely, what
follows, the translation of the kingdom to him; by which it appears that Abner
knew of the promise and oath of God respecting this matter; and therefore acted
against his conscience, in setting up Ishbosheth on the throne; which he knew
would not prosper, and that he was fighting against God; which shows what a
hardened wicked creature he was, and how far ambition, and being thought to be
of consequence, will carry a man.
2 Samuel 3:10 10 to transfer the kingdom
from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over
Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
YLT
10to cause the kingdom to
pass over from the house of Saul, and to raise up the throne of David over
Israel, and over Judah, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba.'
To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul,.... Which was
what the Lord had sworn to do, 1 Samuel 15:28; and
which Abner now threatens to do, insolently taking that to himself which
belonged to the Lord, and as if he could not do it without him:
and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah; over the one
as well as over the other; for it was set over Judah already:
from Dan even unto Beersheba; which were the utmost
borders of the land of Israel, from north to south, and so includes the whole.
2 Samuel 3:11 11 And he could not answer
Abner another word, because he feared him.
YLT
11And he is not able any more
to turn back Abner a word, because of his fearing him.
And he could not answer Abner a word again,.... That is,
he would not, he durst not; otherwise, if it was fact he charged him with, he
could have insisted on the truth of it, and aggravated the crime and scandal of
it; and observed it to him, that the kindness he had shown him was no excuse
for it; but such things, though he would, he durst not say:
because he feared him; he had the army at his
command, and could dethrone him when he pleased; and it has been the fate of
greater men than Ishbosheth to be awed by their generals, and even David
himself; see 2 Samuel 3:39.
2 Samuel 3:12 12 Then Abner sent messengers
on his behalf to David, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also,
“Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be with you to
bring all Israel to you.”
YLT
12And Abner sendeth
messengers unto David for himself, saying, `Whose [is] the land?' saying, `Make
thy covenant with me, and lo, my hand [is] with thee, to bring round unto thee all
Israel.'
And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,.... On his
own account, and not on the account of Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel; but
to obtain terms for himself, or in his own name, as representing him and
standing in his stead; or secretly, as Kimchi explains it, unknown to
Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel. The Targum is,"out of his place;'he
sent them from the place where he was, from Mahanaim:
saying, whose is the land? the land of Israel, is
it not thine, David? verily it is; to whom does it belong but unto thee, to
whom the Lord has given it? not to any of Saul's posterity: this he ordered the
messengers to say in the first place, in order to ingratiate himself to David,
and gain his messengers an audience. The Targum is,"I swear by him that
made the earth;'so Jarchi says, it is an oath by him whose the earth is, even
by the living God, whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof:
saying also, make thy league with me; he desired to
enter into a covenant of friendship with him, that everything that had passed
might be forgiven and forgotten:
and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all
Israel unto thee: he promises on his part to do his utmost to bring all Israel
under his government and to obedience to him.
2 Samuel 3:13 13 And David said,
“Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you
shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you
come to see my face.”
YLT
13And he saith, `Good -- I
make with thee a covenant; only, one thing I am asking of thee, that is, Thou
dost not see my face, except thou dost first bring in Michal, daughter of Saul
in thy coming into see my face.'
And he said, well, I will make a league with thee,.... He
accepted of the offer, he was ready and willing to enter into a covenant of
friendship with him, and forgive all past offences:
but one thing I require of thee; as the condition of this
covenant:
that is, thou shall not see my face; be admitted into my
presence, or have any mark of my favour and respect:
except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest
to see my face; he insisted on it that Michal, Saul's daughter, and his wife,
should be brought along with him, and presented to him; this was the
preliminary to the league and covenant; if this was not complied with, the
proposal would not be attended to. This shows the great affection David
retained for his first wife, though he had had six since, see 2 Samuel 3:2, and
though she had lived with another man, 1 Samuel 25:44; as
also his great regard to the honour of Saul's family, that one of them might
share with him in the grandeur of the kingdom; though this also might be a
piece of policy in him, to gain the friends of Saul's family to him.
2 Samuel 3:14 14 So David sent messengers
to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I
betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
YLT
14And David sendeth
messengers unto Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, saying, `Give up my wife Michal, whom
I betrothed to myself with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.'
And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son,.... When
Abner's messengers returned to him, and acquainted him with the condition of
David's entering into a league with him, it is highly probable that Abner sent
them or others to David, to let him know that he could not do this of himself;
that it was advisable for him to write to Ishbosheth, whose sister she was, and
demand her of him; and that then he would use his interest with Ishbosheth to
grant it, and this method David took:
saying, deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me
for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines; two arguments he made
use of to enforce his demand; one is, that it was his wife he required, to whom
he had a right, and no other man; and the other is, that he had purchased her
at a great expense, at the risk of his life, in slaying an hundred Philistines,
whose foreskins he paid in for her at the instance of Saul; he mentions but one
hundred, though he gave two hundred as her dowry, no more being required than
one hundred; see 1 Samuel 18:25.
Josephus very wrongly says six hundredF2Antiqu. l 7. c. 1. sect. 4.
; the Syriac and Arabic have here two hundred.
2 Samuel 3:15 15 And Ishbosheth sent and
took her from her husband, from Paltiel[a] the son of
Laish.
YLT
15And Ish-Bosheth sendeth,
and taketh her from a man, from Phaltiel son of Laish,
And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband,.... Her
second husband, to whom Saul had given her, 1 Samuel 25:44,
even from Phaltiel
the son of Laish; he is called Phalti in 1 Samuel 25:44.
2 Samuel 3:16 16 Then her husband went
along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, “Go,
return!” And he returned.
YLT
16and her husband goeth with
her, going on and weeping behind her, unto Bahurim, and Abner saith unto him,
`Go, turn back;' and he turneth back.
And her husband went with her along weeping behind her,.... Because
of his great affection to her, unwilling to part with her, but forced to it at
the command of the king her brother:
to Bahurim; a city in the tribe of Benjamin, 2 Samuel 19:16;
perhaps the same with Almon, Joshua 21:18; these
two words being of the same signification; and the Targum has it hero Almuth;
so Alemeth in 1 Chronicles 6:60.
It seems to be the same JosephusF3Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7. calls
Bachures, and says it was not far from Jerusalem. BuntingF4Travels,
p. 144. says it was something more than a mile towards the northeast, and at
this time is a fair castle strongly fortified, standing in a high place, and in
the valley near it, at the stone Bohan, Joshua 15:6; see 2 Samuel 17:18,
then said Abner to him, go, return, and he returned; by which it
appears that Abner came with her to introduce her to David, without whom he was
not to see his face; and he did not choose her husband should go with her any
further, and was at his orders obliged to go back, who otherwise would have
gladly accompanied her further still, through his great affection for her.
2 Samuel 3:17 17 Now Abner had communicated
with the elders of Israel, saying, “In time past you were seeking for David to
be king over you.
YLT
17And the word of Abner was
with the elders of Israel, saying, `Heretofore ye have been seeking David for
king over you,
And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel,.... Had a
conference with the chiefs of the several tribes about the affairs of the
kingdom:
saying, ye sought for David in time past to be king over
you; that is, at the death of Saul, and not before; for it was pretty
generally known throughout the kingdom that David was anointed by Samuel and
Saul himself had declared that he knew the kingdom would come to him; so that
upon his death it was the general expectation and desire of the people that the
government would devolve upon him, as it doubtless would, if Abner had not set
up one of Saul's house, and persuaded the Israelites to own him their king.
2 Samuel 3:18 18 Now then, do it!
For the Lord
has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I[b] will save My
people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of all their
enemies.’”
YLT
18and now, do [it], for
Jehovah hath spoken of David saying, By the hand of David my servant -- to save
My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all
their enemies.'
Now then do it,.... Make him your king,
and I shall no longer oppose it as I have done:
for the Lord hath spoken of David; concerning his being
king, and the saviour of his people Israel:
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 which, though where recorded in so many words, yet was the
sense of the promise of making him king, and the design of his unction; and
besides they might have been spoken to Samuel, though not written; and which he
might report, and so might pass from one to another to be generally known.
2 Samuel 3:19 19 And Abner also spoke in
the hearing of Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David
in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.
YLT
19And Abner speaketh also in
the ears of Benjamin, and Abner goeth also to speak in the ears of David in
Hebron all that [is] good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the
house of Benjamin,
And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin,.... Of the
inhabitants of the tribe of Benjamin, of which tribe he was, and among whom he
had the greatest influence; and with whom it was necessary to take some pains,
because of their attachment to the family of Saul, which was of that tribe; and
being near to that of Judah, might give David a good deal of trouble, if they
were not won over to him:
and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron; having
sounded the elders of Israel, and won their thoughts about the change of
government, and found them well disposed to David, and had prevailed upon them
to consent to make him king, and had gained the tribe of Benjamin on his side,
went and reported to David the success he had:
all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole
house of Benjamin; how agreeable it was to the elders of Israel, and particularly
to the tribe of Benjamin, to have David king over them.
2 Samuel 3:20 20 So Abner and twenty men
with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men
who were with him.
YLT
20and Abner cometh in unto
David, to Hebron, and with him twenty men, and David maketh for Abner, and for
the men who [are] with him, a banquet.
So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him,.... Before he
went privately to him, and conferred with him, but now, having gained so many
of the Israelites in favour of David, he appeared more publicly and brought
perhaps some of the principal of the nation with film, to join in the league
and covenant to be made:
and David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast; not only in
honour to them, as great personages, especially Abner, and as expressive of
reconciliation; but as a token of the covenant they were entering into, and for
the confirmation of it; it being usual to have feasts when covenants were made;
see Genesis 26:28.
2 Samuel 3:21 21 Then Abner said to David,
“I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may
make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart
desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
YLT
21And Abner saith unto David,
`I arise, and go, and gather unto my lord the king the whole of Israel, and
they make with thee a covenant, and thou hast reigned over all that thy soul
desireth;' and David sendeth away Abner, and he goeth in peace.
And Abner said to David, I will arise and go,.... Into the
several parts of the land of Israel:
and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king; the princes
of the several tribes, and the elders of the people, their heads and principal
men:
that they may make a league with thee; come into the
league and covenant now made with Abner, and those with him:
and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth: which he
supposed reached to all the people of the house of Israel and of Judah, though
David had not expressed any eager and impatient desire of government, but
waited the Lord's time to be put into the possession of the whole kingdom of
Israel:
and David sent Abner away, and he went in peace; with inward
satisfaction of mind, pleased that things were so well settled and adjusted to
the content of all parties, and with outward satiety of body, no insults or
attempts being made upon him by any of David's men; which perhaps would not
have been the case if Joab had been at court, as may be concluded from what
follows.
2 Samuel 3:22 22 At that moment the
servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them.
But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he
had gone in peace.
YLT
22And lo, the servants of
David, and Joab, have come from the troop, and much spoil have brought with
them, and Abner is not with David in Hebron, for he hath sent him away, and he
goeth in peace;
And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing
a troop,.... A troop of robbers, that made an incursion into the land,
taking the advantage of a civil war between Israel and Judah; such as the
Edomites, Amalekites, and especially the Philistines; which Joab hearing of
went out in pursuit of them, and overtook them:
and brought in a great spoil with them; which they
took from them:
but Abner was not with David in Hebron: when Joab and
his army entered the city with their booty:
for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace; he had just
dismissed him, and he was gone off safely.
2 Samuel 3:23 23 When Joab and all the
troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the
son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.”
YLT
23and Joab and all the host
that [is] with him have come, and they declare to Joab, saying, `Abner son of
Ner hath come unto the king, and he sendeth him away, and he goeth in peace.'
When Joab and all the host that was with him were come,.... To
Hebron, or rather to David's court; for their coming to the city is before
mentioned; this must be understood not of the whole army, of all the common
soldiers, but of the chief officers, who with Joab came to court, to wait upon
David, and report their success:
they told Joab, saying, Abner the son, of Ner came to the king; some of the
courtiers informed him of it, who knew it would not be very agreeable to him:
and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace: instead of
seizing him, and laying him in a prison as his enemy, he has let him go with
all the marks of friendship and good will.
2 Samuel 3:24 24 Then Joab came to the king
and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that
you sent him away, and he has already gone?
YLT
24And Joab cometh unto the
king, and saith, `What hast thou done? lo, Abner hath come unto thee! why [is]
this -- thou hast sent him away, and he is really gone?
Then Joab came to the king,.... To the apartment
where he was; perhaps he was told the above at his first entering into the
king's palace, by some in waiting, before he came to the king, which filled him
with wrath, so that he came to him in a passion:
and said to him, what hast thou done? which was
very insolent in a subject to say to his prince:
behold, Abner came unto thee; I have been credibly
informed of it, and am assured it is a fact which cannot be denied; he
represents it as if he had done a wrong thing to admit him to come to him; but
perhaps the great fault was that he had let him go:
why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is
quite gone? or "going, is gone"F5וילך הלוך "et abiit
eundo", Pagninus, Montanus. ; is clean gone off, when he ought to have
been laid hold on as a traitor, and put in irons.
2 Samuel 3:25 25 Surely you realize that
Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your
coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”
YLT
25Thou hast known Abner son
of Ner, that to deceive thee he came, and to know thy going out and thy coming
in, and to know all that thou art doing.'
Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner,.... Thou canst not be
ignorant what a cunning deceitful man he is, nor of his designs; or dost thou
not know? art thou ignorant? so read the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and
Arabic versions, with an interrogation:
that he came to deceive thee: with false hopes, or to
lead into wrong measures with an intention to involve and ruin him:
and to know thy going out, and coming in; the affairs
of his court, the secrets of his government, to observe his conduct and
behaviour, and all his actions, and improve them against him:
and to know all that thou doest; he suggests that he came
not as a friend, but as a spy, and therefore ought to have been taken up, and
detained, and not dismissed. This Joab said to set David against him, fearing,
if he should be received into favour, he would be a rival of his; and besides
his breast was full of revenge against him for the death of his brother.
2 Samuel 3:26 26 And when Joab had gone
from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back
from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.
YLT
26And Joab goeth out from
David, and sendeth messengers after Abner, and they bring him back from the
well of Sirah, and David knew not.
And when Joab was come out from David,.... Which
perhaps he did at once, as soon as ever he had spoken his mind, and flew out of
the room in a great passion, not waiting for the king's answer, since we read
of none returned; though it may be the king disdained to give him one, or cared
not to confer with him while in his passion, until it subsided; or chose not to
provoke him more, for it is plain he had great power over him; which generals
of armies at this time very much assumed, see 2 Samuel 3:39;
he sent messengers after Abner; in the name of the king,
as Abarbinel rightly supposes, and so JosephusF6Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1.
sect. 5. ; for otherwise it can hardly be thought he would have returned on a
message from Joab only, who he knew bore him ill will:
which brought him again from the well of Sirah; which might
have its name from the thorns and briers that grew about it. JosephusF7Ibid.
calls it Besira, and says it was twenty furlongs or two and an half miles from
Hebron:
but David knew it not; that Joab had sent
messengers in his name after Abner to fetch him back; it was not done by his
order, with his consent or knowledge; this is observed, to clear David from any
concern in the death of Abner, as follows.
2 Samuel 3:27 27 Now when Abner had
returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him
privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood
of Asahel his brother.
YLT
27And Abner turneth back to
Hebron, and Joab turneth him aside unto the midst of the gate to speak with him
quietly, and smiteth him there in the fifth [rib] -- and he dieth -- for the
blood of Asahel his brother.
And when Abner was returned to Hebron,.... Alone,
and not the twenty men with him; not to David's court, but just to the city, to
the gate of it:
Joab took him aside in the gate: where he was waiting for
him, and met him; this was a public place, where people were continually
passing and repassing, and where courts of judicature used to be held;
wherefore Abner might think himself safe here with Joab, and have no suspicion
at all of his design, and shows how fearless Joab was of God or men:
to speak with him quietly; peaceably, in a friendly
manner, as all his gestures towards him showed; so that Abner made no
difficulty of turning aside with him, supposing he had something to communicate
to him from the king, which he had forgot:
and smote him under the fifth rib, that he died; in the same
place that Abner had smote his brother, of which see 2 Samuel 2:23; and
this he did:
for the blood of Asahel his brother; for Abner's shedding his
brother's blood; but this was not the only reason, and perhaps not the chief;
but, as JosephusF8Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 5. observes, because he
was fearful if Abner was received into the friendship of the king, he would be
preferred unto him, and take his place as general of the army, as being an
older and more experienced officer; so Procopius Gazaeus, and Theodoret.
2 Samuel 3:28 28 Afterward, when David
heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the Lord forever of the
blood of Abner the son of Ner.
YLT
28And David heareth
afterwards and saith, `Acquitted [am] I, and my kingdom, by Jehovah, unto the
age, from the blood of Abner son of Ner;
And afterward, when David heard it,.... That Joab
had sent to fetch Abner back, and that he had stabbed him in the gate of the
city, and he was dead; it was some time after it was done that the news of it
was brought to David; this circumstance is observed, the more to clear the king
from any concern in this affair:
he said; in a public manner, in open court, before all his princes; he called
God to witness, and, as JosephusF9Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 6. says,
stretching out his right hand to God, he cried aloud:
I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever
from the blood of Abner the son of Ner; he was sensible it would
be known that Abner had been with him, and that Joab his general had killed
him; and therefore it might be suspected that he had an hand in it, and that it
was done by his order, with his privy council; and therefore, to purge him and
them from it, he made this public declaration, that neither he nor his council
knew anything of it; and that it was not done with their knowledge and consent,
and by their order, but through the resentment of a single person; and
therefore hoped that no man would impute the shedding of this blood unto them,
or that God would punish them for it; and he was the rather led to make this
public declaration, because he knew that the death of Abner in this way would
be resented by the friends of Saul's family, and be an obstruction to the union
of the two kingdoms, which it was known Abner was endeavouring to bring about.
2 Samuel 3:29 29 Let it rest on the head of
Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the house
of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by
the sword, or who lacks bread.”
YLT
29it doth stay on the head of
Joab, and on all the house of his father, and there is not cut off from the
house of Joab one having an issue, and leprous, and laying hold on a staff, and
falling by a sword, and lacking bread.'
Let it rest on the head of Joab,.... That is, the blood
of Abner, who was the shedder of it; let the guilt of it be charged to him, and
let punishment for it be inflicted on him:
and on all his father's house; on Abishai his brother,
and other relations that might be privy to the death of Abner, and advising to
it, and ready to assist in it if necessary:
and let there not fail from the house of Joab; let there be
always in his family, and of his seed, one or other of the persons described as
follows:
one that hath an issue; a gonorrhoea, which was
reckoned infamous, and very impure, according to the Jewish law, and rendered
persons unfit for society; see Leviticus 15:1,
or that is a leper; whose disease was very loathsome and
infectious, and shut him out of the company of men; see Leviticus 13:1,
or that leaneth on a staff; being blind, as Aquila
renders the word; or through weakness of body, not being able to walk without
one; or through some disease of the feet, as the Jewish writers generally
understand it; and R. Isaiah interprets it of the gout particularly: the word
for "staff" is rendered "spindle", Proverbs 31:19; and
to this sense it is rendered here in, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic
versions; and then the meaning is, let his posterity, or some of them, be so
poor, that they shall be obliged to get their livelihood in so mean a way as by
spinning; or let them be of such an effeminate disposition, as be more fit to
handle the spindle, and do the, work of women, than to use the sword:
or that falleth on the sword; not by it honourably in
the field of battle, but cowardly destroying themselves with it:
or that lacketh bread; and is obliged to beg
it: all which David might say, not by a spirit of prophecy, but in a passion;
and to show with what horror he resented the action, and how detestable it was
to him, and how far it was for him to have any concern in it: but though it was
a very wicked action in Joab to murder Abner in this manner, and for the
reasons he did; yet it was a just vengeance from the Lord on Abner for fighting
against God, and acting against the dictates of his own conscience; for his
rebellion against David, and perfidy to Ishbosheth, and for having been the
cause of much bloodshed in Israel.
2 Samuel 3:30 30 So Joab and Abishai his
brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in
the battle.
YLT
30And Joab and Abishai his
brother slew Abner because that he put to death Asahel their brother, in
Gibeon, in battle.
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner,.... For
though it was only Joab that gave him the thrust of which he died, Abishai was
in the secret, and was consenting and advising to his death, and so an
accessory to it; and might be present, ready to assist in it, if occasion
required; and so JosephusF11Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 6.)
expressly says, that Abishai his brother was with him when he drew his sword,
and smote him:
because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle: which was no
just reason at all; his blood was shed in war, this in peace, in cold blood,
and under the guise of friendship; that was shed with reluctance, and after
fair warning, and in defence of himself; but this wilfully in Joab, unawares to
Abner, and in great deceit and hypocrisy; see 1 Kings 2:5.
2 Samuel 3:31 31 Then David said to Joab
and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves
with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin.
YLT
31And David saith unto Joab,
and unto all the people who [are] with him, `Rend your garments, and gird on
sackcloth, and mourn before Abner;' and king David is going after the bier.
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were
with him,.... To his whole court, Joab being present: for he did not flee,
nor was he laid hold on in order to be brought to justice; which shows how
great his power was, and that he was too hard for David, as in 2 Samuel 3:39;
however this he did, he enjoined his whole court, and Joab also, to express
public mourning on this account:
rend your clothes and gird you with sackcloth; which were
expressions of mourning used on various occasions, and on account of the dead,
and which with the Heathens were carried to a greater excess, even to the
tearing of their flesh:
and mourn before Abner; before his corpse, as
carried to the grave, when it was usual to make great lamentations: see Acts 8:2,
and King David himself followed the bier; or
"bed"F12המטה της
κλινης, Sept. "lectum", Piscator. on which his body was
laid, and carried to the grave. On these the rich and noble among the Greeks
and Romans were carried, and those of the meaner sort on biersF14Salmuth.
ad Pancirol. par. 1. tit. 62. p. 343. Kirchman. de Funer. Roman. l. 2. c. 9. p.
375. ; and so with the Jews; See Gill on Luke 7:14; some of
which were gilded with gold, and were made of ivory, and had ivory feetF15Alstorph.
de lect. vet. c. 19. p. 149. ; that of Herod's was all of gold, inlaid with
precious stones, and the body covered with purple, and followed by his sons and
kindred, the soldiers going before armed, and their leaders followingF16Joseph.
de Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 33. sect. 9. ; the bier or bed with the Romans was
sometimes carried by six persons, sometimes by eight or moreF17Kirchman.
ut supra. (de Funer. Roman. l. 2. c. 9. p. 375.) . It was not usual for kings,
as the Jews sayF18Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 3. Maimon in Hilchot
Ebel. c. 7. sect. 7. David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 119. 4. , to attend a funeral,
to go out of the doors of their palace after their own dead, and much less
others; but David did this to satisfy the people, and to root out of their mind
all suspicion of his having any hand in Abner's death; and to show that he was
not slain by his will, and with his consent.
2 Samuel 3:32 32 So they buried Abner in
Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and
all the people wept.
YLT
32And they bury Abner in
Hebron, and the king lifteth up his voice, and weepeth at the grave of Abner,
and all the people weep;
And they buried Abner in Hebron,.... According to the
Jewish account of places of burialF19Cippi Heb. p. 8. , he was
buried in the midst of the city, though burying places were generally without;
and so FullerF20Pisgah-Sight, &c. in the Map of Judah. places
this in his map; whether the cave of Machpelah, which was near Hebron, was now
used for a burying place, is not certain:
and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; made a great
outcry, a loud lamentation, so as to be heard by all the people; and which no
doubt was real and hearty, and not done merely with political views:
and all the people wept; through concern for the
death of Abner, especially on account of the manner in which it was, and in
imitation of the king, and being affected with his tears and cries.
2 Samuel 3:33 33 And the king sang a
lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
YLT
33and the king lamenteth for
Abner, and saith: -- `As the death of a fool doth Abner die?
And the king lamented over
Abner,.... Delivered an elegy or funeral oration, which he had composed
on this occasion, as JosephusF21Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect.
6.) suggests: for he had cried and wept before, but now he expressed something
as follows:
and said, died Abner as a fool dieth? the meaning
of the interrogation is, he did not; the Targum is"did Abner die as wicked
men die?'no, he did not; he did not die for any wickedness he had been guilty
of; he did not die as a malefactor, whose crime has been charged and proved in
open court, and sentence of condemnation pronounced on him righteously for it;
but he died without anything being laid to his charge, and much less proved,
and without judge or jury; he was murdered in a clandestine, insidious, and
deceitful manner; so the word "fool" is often taken in Scripture for
a wicked man, especially in the book of Proverbs; the Septuagint version leaves
the word untranslated,"died Abner according to the death of Nabal?'no; but
it could hardly be thought that David would mention the name of any particular
person on such an occasion.
2 Samuel 3:34 34 Your hands were not bound Nor
your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you
fell.” Then all the people wept over him again.
YLT
34Thy hands not bound, And
thy feet to fetters not brought nigh! As one falling before sons of evil --
Thou hast fallen!' and all the people add to weep over him.
Thy hands were not
bound, nor thy feet put into fetters,.... As malefactors are
when they are taken up for any crime, and especially when proved upon them, and
condemned for it, and brought forth to be executed. This was not his case, and
had he been aware of the design against him, as his hands and feet were at
liberty, he might have defended himself; or if he found he had too many to deal
with, might have made use of his feet and fled:
as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou; as a man
being before bloodthirsty and deceitful men, falls before them, through
treachery and deceit, privately and unawares, so fell Abner before Joab and
Abishai; this David said in the presence of Joab, and before all the people, to
declare the plain fact how it was, to express his detestation of it, and to
show he had no hand in it; and Joab must be an hardened creature to stand at
the grave of Abner, and hear all this, and not be affected with it:
and all the people wept again over him; over Abner,
being laid in his grave; they had wept before, but hearing this funeral oration
delivered by the king in such moving language, and in such a mournful tone, it
drew tears afresh from them.
2 Samuel 3:35 35 And when all the people
came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath,
saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till
the sun goes down!”
YLT
35And all the people come to
cause David to eat bread while yet day, and David sweareth, saying, `Thus doth
God to me, and thus He doth add, for -- before the going in of the sun, I taste
no bread or any other thing.'
And when all the people
came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day,.... The
custom was to bury in the daytime, and after the funeral was over to provide
and send in food to the relations of the deceased, and come and eat with them;
as was also the usage with the Greeks and RomansF23Vid. Kirchman. de
Funer. Roman, l. 4. c. 5. & 6. ; See Gill on Jeremiah 16:5 and
See Gill on Jeremiah 16:7; and
kings themselves used to attend those feasts; for the Jews sayF24Misn.
ut supra. (Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 3.) David de Pomis ut supra. (Lexic. fol.
119. 4.) ,"when they cause him (the king) to eat, all the people sit upon
the ground, and he sits upon the bed;'but in this case David refused to eat
with them:
David sware, saying, so do God to me, and more also; may the
greatest evils, and such as I care not to mention, befall me; and even more and
worse than I can think of and express:
if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down; perhaps the
funeral was in the morning, as funerals with the Jews generally now are; for
otherwise if it was now towards evening, his abstinence from food till that
time would not have seemed so much, nor required much notice, and still less an
oath.
2 Samuel 3:36 36 Now all the people took
note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all
the people.
YLT
36And all the people have
discerned [it], and it is good in their eyes, as all that the king hath done is
good in the eyes of all the people;
And all the people took
notice of it,.... Not only of his oath, that he would not eat food till
evening, but of his whole conduct at the funeral of Abner; the sorrow he
expressed for his death, and the oration he made on account of it, in which he
pretty severely reflected on his murderer:
and it pleased them; that he showed such a
concern for his death, and that it was a clear case he had no hand in it:
as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people; what he did
at this time, burying Abhor with so much pomp and ceremony; and indeed he had
so much the hearts of the people, and such a share in their affections, and
they had such an high opinion of him, that all that he did in public and
private affairs they reckoned well done; they were highly approved of by them,
such an interest had he in them.
2 Samuel 3:37 37 For all the people and all
Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner
the son of Ner.
YLT
37and all the people know,
even all Israel, in that day, that it hath not been from the king -- to put to
death Abner son of Ner.
For all the people and all
Israel understood that day,.... Not the people of Judah only, but of
Israel also, to whom the knowledge of these things came; they knew and were
satisfied by his conduct and behaviour, by his words and actions:
that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner; it was not by
the counsel or advice of the king, as the Targum; it was without his knowledge
and consent, was contrary to his mind and will; that he had no manner of
concern in it, and that if it had been in his power he would have prevented it.
2 Samuel 3:38 38 Then the king said to his
servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in
Israel?
YLT
38And the king saith unto his
servants, `Do ye not know that a prince and a great one hath fallen this day in
Israel?
And the king said unto his
servants,.... His courtiers, giving a reason why he mourned as he did; or
"had said"F23יואמר "nam
dixerat", Junius & Tremellius. , and so is a reason why the people
concluded, and were fully satisfied, he had no hand in his death; but the first
is best, because what follows was said not to the people at the grave, but to
his servants at court:
know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day
in Israel? a "prince", being of the royal family, his father was
Saul's uncle, and he his own cousin; a "great" man, being general of
the army, a very valiant and skilful commander, a man of great wisdom and
parts. David says nothing of his grace and virtue, only of his grandeur, his
high birth and civil excellencies; he praises him in what he was commendable,
and proceeds no further; and this was sufficient to show there was just cause of
mourning on civil accounts; and this they might easily know and perceive, that
the fall or death of such a man, which had that day happened in Israel, was a
public loss, and matter of lamentation; and the rather as he was employing all
his excellent talents in civil affairs, and all his interest in the people of
Israel, to unite them to Judah, and bring them under the government of David.
2 Samuel 3:39 39 And I am weak
today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too
harsh for me. The Lord
shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
YLT
39and I to-day [am] tender,
and an anointed king: and these men, sons of Zeruiah, [are] too hard for me;
Jehovah doth recompense to the doer of the evil according to his evil.'
And I am this day
weak, though anointed king,.... Which seems to be given as a reason, or
for an excuse why he did not inflict just punishment upon the murderer,
according to the law of God, because he was "weak"; not in body or
mind, but with respect to the kingdom, that was like a tender branch, or in its
infant state; and great care and caution were to be used that it was not
overturned: he was a king by unction, not by birth; a son of the late king was
yet up against him, and was possessed of the far greater part of the kingdom;
he was indeed anointed by Samuel to be king over all Israel; but as yet he was
not put into the possession of the kingdom he was anointed to; he was anointed
and made king over Judah, and invested with the office of king there, and settled
in it; and yet his power was not very great there, for as follows:
and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, be too hard for me; his sister's
sons, Joab and Abishai, they were a check upon him; he could not do what he
would, their influence was so great, both in the court and in the camp; the one
was general of the army, and the other a considerable officer in it, and both
variant men, and very respectable among the people, for their achievements in
war, and the success they had; so that they were very much out of the reach of
David to bring them to justice, without shaking his kingdom; and therefore in
point of prudence he thought it best to connive at this fact until he was more
established in the kingdom. Whatever may be said for this conduct, it is certain
he was too dilatory, and which did not sit easy upon his mind, and therefore
gave it in charge to Solomon before his death not to suffer Joab to go to his
grave in peace, 1 Kings 2:5. Some
take these words, "weak" and "hard", in a different sense,
that David was weak or "tender"F24רך
"tener", Pagninus, Montanus. , as it may be rendered, tenderhearted,
of a merciful disposition, and therefore spared Abner when he was in his hands,
though he had done him so much harm, who was the Lord's anointed; but these
men, his sister's sons, were of cruel tempers, more unmerciful than he, and
therefore slew him; but the first sense seems best:
the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness; which may be
considered either as an imprecation of evil on Joab, or a prediction, that
sooner or later righteous judgment would be rendered to him by the Lord; with
whom he leaves it to take vengeance on him, satisfying himself with this for
the present, that though it was not in his power to do it, the Lord would in
his own time and way: but after all that can be said in favour of David, he
seems to have been too much in fear of men, and too distrustful of the power
and promise of God to establish him in his kingdom, and was too negligent of
public justice; which had it been exercised, might have prevented other sins,
as the murder of Ishbosheth, to which the authors of it might be encouraged by
this lenity.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)