27 And when Abner H74 was returned H7725 to Hebron, H2275 Joab H3097 took him aside H5186 in H413 H8432 the gate H8179 to speak H1696 with him quietly, H7987 and smote H5221 him there under the fifth H2570 rib, that he died, H4191 for the blood H1818 of Asahel H6214 his brother. H251
And Joab H3097 said H559 to Amasa, H6021 Art thou in health, H7965 my brother? H251 And Joab H3097 took H270 Amasa H6021 by the beard H2206 with the right H3225 hand H3027 to kiss H5401 him. But Amasa H6021 took no heed H8104 to the sword H2719 that was in Joab's H3097 hand: H3027 so he smote H5221 him therewith in the fifth H2570 rib, and shed out H8210 his bowels H4578 to the ground, H776 and struck him not again; H8138 and he died. H4191 So Joab H3097 and Abishai H52 his brother H251 pursued H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri. H1075
Moreover thou knowest H3045 also what Joab H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 did H6213 to me, and what he did H6213 to the two H8147 captains H8269 of the hosts H6635 of Israel, H3478 unto Abner H74 the son H1121 of Ner, H5369 and unto Amasa H6021 the son H1121 of Jether, H3500 whom he slew, H2026 and shed H7760 the blood H1818 of war H4421 in peace, H7965 and put H5414 the blood H1818 of war H4421 upon his girdle H2290 that was about his loins, H4975 and in his shoes H5275 that were on his feet. H7272
And the LORD H3068 shall return H7725 his blood H1818 upon his own head, H7218 who fell H6293 upon two H8147 men H582 more righteous H6662 and better H2896 than he, and slew H2026 them with the sword, H2719 my father H1 David H1732 not knowing H3045 thereof, to wit, Abner H74 the son H1121 of Ner, H5369 captain H8269 of the host H6635 of Israel, H3478 and Amasa H6021 the son H1121 of Jether, H3500 captain H8269 of the host H6635 of Judah. H3063
Cursed H779 be he that smiteth H5221 his neighbour H7453 secretly. H5643 And all the people H5971 shall say, H559 Amen. H543
And Asahel H6214 pursued H7291 after H310 Abner; H74 and in going H3212 he turned H5186 not to the right hand H3225 nor to the left H8040 from following H310 Abner. H74 Then Abner H74 looked H6437 behind H310 him, and said, H559 Art thou Asahel? H6214 And he answered, H559 I am. And Abner H74 said H559 to him, Turn thee aside H5186 to thy right hand H3225 or to thy left, H8040 and lay thee hold H270 on one H259 of the young men, H5288 and take H3947 thee his armour. H2488 But Asahel H6214 would H14 not turn aside H5493 from following H310 of him. And Abner H74 said H559 again H3254 to Asahel, H6214 Turn thee aside H5493 from following H310 me: wherefore should I smite H5221 thee to the ground? H776 how then should I hold up H5375 my face H6440 to Joab H3097 thy brother? H251 Howbeit he refused H3985 to turn aside: H5493 wherefore Abner H74 with the hinder end H310 of the spear H2595 smote H5221 him under H413 the fifth H2570 rib, that the spear H2595 came out H3318 behind H310 him; and he fell down H5307 there, and died H4191 in the same place: H8478 and it came to pass, that as many as came H935 to the place H4725 where Asahel H6214 fell down H5307 and died H4191 stood still. H5975
Then arose H6965 Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah, H5418 and the ten H6235 men H582 that were with him, and smote H5221 Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam H296 the son H1121 of Shaphan H8227 with the sword, H2719 and slew H4191 him, whom the king H4428 of Babylon H894 had made governor H6485 over the land. H776
And Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah H5418 went forth H3318 from Mizpah H4709 to meet H7125 them, weeping H1058 all along H1980 as he went: H1980 and it came to pass, as he met H6298 them, he said H559 unto them, Come H935 to Gedaliah H1436 the son H1121 of Ahikam. H296 And it was so, when they came H935 into the midst H8432 of the city, H5892 that Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah H5418 slew H7819 them, and cast them into the midst H8432 of the pit, H953 he, and the men H582 that were with him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 3
Commentary on 2 Samuel 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
2Sa 3:1-5. Six Sons Born to David.
1. there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David—The rival parties had varying success, but David's interest steadily increased; less, however, by the fortunes of war, than a growing adherence to him as the divinely designated king.
2. unto David were sons born in Hebron—The six sons mentioned had all different mothers.
3. Chileab—("his father's picture")—called also Daniel (1Ch 3:1).
Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur—a region in Syria, north of Israel. This marriage seems to have been a political match, made by David, with a view to strengthen himself against Ish-bosheth's party, by the aid of a powerful friend and ally in the north. Piety was made to yield to policy, and the bitter fruits of this alliance with a heathen prince he reaped in the life of the turbulent Absalom.
5. Eglah David's wife—This addition has led many to think that Eglah was another name for Michal, the first and proper wife, who, though she had no family after her insolent ridicule of David (2Sa 6:23), might have had a child before.
2Sa 3:6-12. Abner Revolts to David.
6-11. Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul—In the East, the wives and concubines of a king are the property of his successor to this extent, that for a private person to aspire to marry one of them would be considered a virtual advance of pretensions to the crown (see 1Ki 2:17). It is not clear whether the accusation against Abner was well or ill founded. But he resented the charge as an indignity, and, impelled by revenge, determined to transfer all the weight of his influence to the opposite party. He evidently set a full value on his services, and seems to have lorded it over his weak nephew in a haughty, overbearing manner.
12, 13. Abner sent messengers to David—Though his language implied a secret conviction, that in supporting Ish-bosheth he had been laboring to frustrate the divine purpose of conferring the sovereignty of the kingdom on David, this acknowledgment was no justification either of the measure he was now adopting, or of the motives that prompted it. Nor does it seem possible to uphold the full integrity and honor of David's conduct in entertaining his secret overtures for undermining Ish-bosheth, except we take into account the divine promise of the kingdom, and his belief that the secession of Abner was a means designed by Providence for accomplishing it. The demand for the restoration of his wife Michal was perfectly fair; but David's insisting on it at that particular moment, as an indispensable condition of his entering into any treaty with Abner, seems to have proceeded not so much from a lingering attachment as from an expectation that his possession of her would incline some adherents of the house of Saul to be favorable to his cause.
17-21. Abner had communication with the elders of Israel—He spoke the truth in impressing their minds with the well-known fact of David's divine designation to the kingdom. But he acted a base and hypocritical part in pretending that his present movement was prompted by religious motives, when it sprang entirely from malice and revenge against Ish-bosheth. The particular appeal of the Benjamites was a necessary policy; their tribe enjoyed the honor of giving birth to the royal dynasty of Saul; they would naturally be disinclined to lose that prestige. They were, besides, a determined people, whose contiguity to Judah might render them troublesome and dangerous. The enlistment of their interest, therefore, in the scheme, would smooth the way for the adhesion of the other tribes; and Abner enjoyed the most convenient opportunity of using his great influence in gaining over that tribe while escorting Michal to David with a suitable equipage. The mission enabled him to cover his treacherous designs against his master—to draw the attention of the elders and people to David as uniting in himself the double recommendation of being the nominee of Jehovah, no less than a connection of the royal house of Saul, and, without suspicion of any dishonorable motives, to advocate policy of terminating the civil discord, by bestowing the sovereignty on the husband of Michal. In the same character of public ambassador, he was received and feted by David; and while, ostensibly, the restoration of Michal was the sole object of his visit, he busily employed himself in making private overtures to David for bringing over to his cause those tribes which he had artfully seduced. Abner pursued a course unworthy of an honorable man and though his offer was accepted by David, the guilt and infamy of the transaction were exclusively his.
2Sa 3:22-30. Joab Kills Abner.
24-27. Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done?—Joab's knowledge of Abner's wily character might have led him to doubt the sincerity of that person's proposals and to disapprove the policy of relying on his fidelity. But undoubtedly there were other reasons of a private and personal nature which made Joab displeased and alarmed by the reception given to Abner. The military talents of that general, his popularity with the army, his influence throughout the nation, rendered him a formidable rival. In the event of his overtures being carried out, the important service of bringing over all the other tribes to the king of Judah would establish so strong a claim on the gratitude of David, that his accession would inevitably raise a serious obstacle to the ambition of Joab. To these considerations was added the remembrance of the blood feud that existed between them since the death of his brother Asahel (2Sa 2:23). Determined, therefore, to get Abner out of the way, Joab feigned some reason, probably in the king's name, for recalling him, and, going out to meet him, stabbed him unawares; not within Hebron, for it was a city of refuge, but at a noted well in the neighborhood.
31. David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth—David's sorrow was sincere and profound, and he took occasion to give it public expression by the funeral honors he appointed for Abner.
King David himself followed the bier—a sort of wooden frame, partly resembling a coffin, and partly a hand-barrow.
33, 34. the king lamented over Abner—This brief elegy is an effusion of indignation as much as of sorrow. As Abner had stabbed Asahel in open war [2Sa 2:23], Joab had not the right of the Goel. Besides, he had adopted a lawless and execrable method of obtaining satisfaction (see on 1Ki 2:5). The deed was an insult to the authority, as well as most damaging to the prospects of the king. But David's feelings and conduct on hearing of the death, together with the whole character and accompaniments of the funeral solemnity, tended not only to remove all suspicion of guilt from him, but even to turn the tide of popular opinion in his favor, and to pave the way for his reigning over all the tribes more honorably than by the treacherous negotiations of Abner.