25 Is it not clear to you that Abner, the son of Ner, came with deceit to get knowledge of your going out and your coming in and of all you are doing?
A blessing will be on your coming in and on your going out.
But I have knowledge of your getting up and your resting, of your going out and your coming in.
And he said to them, No, but you have come to see how poor the land is.
Send one of your number to get your brother, and the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are true; if not, by the life of Pharaoh, your purpose is certainly secret.
But the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him, and said to him, Make the man go back to the place you have given him; do not let him go down with us to the fight, or he may be turned against us and be false to us: for how will this man make peace with his lord? will it not be with the heads of these men? Is this not David, who was named in their songs, when in the dance they said to one another, Saul has put to death thousands, and David tens of thousands? Then Achish sent for David and said to him, By the living Lord, you are upright, and everything you have done with me in the army has been pleasing to me: I have seen no evil in you from the day when you came to me till now: but still, the lords are not pleased with you.
And when Abner was back in Hebron, Joab took him on one side by the doorway of the town to have a word with him quietly, and there he gave him a wound in the stomach, causing his death in payment for the death of his brother Asahel.
But the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Does it seem to you that David is honouring your father by sending comforters to you? has he not sent his servants to go through the town and make secret observation of it, and overcome it?
Till I come and take you away to a land like yours, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vine-gardens, a land of oil-giving olives and of honey, so that life and not death may be your fate. Give no attention to Hezekiah when he says to you, The Lord will keep us safe.
The Lord will keep watch over your going out and your coming in, from this time and for ever.
Then the Pharisees said to them, Have you, like the others, been given false ideas?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 3
Commentary on 2 Samuel 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
The battle between Joab and Abner did not end the controversy between the two houses of Saul and David, but it is in this chapter working towards a period. Here is,
2Sa 3:1-6
Here is,
Thus was David's house strengthened; but it was Abner that made himself strong for the house of Saul, which is mentioned (v. 6) to show that, if he failed them, they would fall of course.
2Sa 3:7-21
Here,
2Sa 3:22-39
We have here an account of the murder of Abner by Joab, and David's deep resentment of it.