4 And the fourth, H7243 Adonijah H138 the son H1121 of Haggith; H2294 and the fifth, H2549 Shephatiah H8203 the son H1121 of Abital; H37
Then Adonijah H138 the son H1121 of Haggith H2294 exalted H4984 himself, saying, H559 I will be king: H4427 and he prepared H6213 him chariots H7393 and horsemen, H6571 and fifty H2572 men H376 to run H7323 before H6440 him. And his father H1 had not displeased H6087 him at any time H3117 in saying, H559 Why hast thou done so? H6213 and he also was a very H3966 goodly H2896 H8389 man; and his mother bare H3205 him after H310 Absalom. H53 And he conferred H1697 with Joab H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah, H6870 and with Abiathar H54 the priest: H3548 and they following H310 Adonijah H138 helped H5826 him. But Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 and Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and Shimei, H8096 and Rei, H7472 and the mighty men H1368 which belonged to David, H1732 were not with Adonijah. H138 And Adonijah H138 slew H2076 sheep H6629 and oxen H1241 and fat cattle H4806 by the stone H68 of Zoheleth, H2120 which is by H681 Enrogel, H5883 and called H7121 all his brethren H251 the king's H4428 sons, H1121 and all the men H582 of Judah H3063 the king's H4428 servants: H5650 But Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 and Benaiah, H1141 and the mighty men, H1368 and Solomon H8010 his brother, H251 he called H7121 not. Wherefore Nathan H5416 spake H559 unto Bathsheba H1339 the mother H517 of Solomon, H8010 saying, H559 Hast thou not heard H8085 that Adonijah H138 the son H1121 of Haggith H2294 doth reign, H4427 and David H1732 our lord H113 knoweth H3045 it not? Now therefore come, H3212 let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, H3289 H6098 that thou mayest save H4422 thine own life, H5315 and the life H5315 of thy son H1121 Solomon. H8010 Go H3212 and get thee in H935 unto king H4428 David, H1732 and say H559 unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, H113 O king, H4428 swear H7650 unto thine handmaid, H519 saying, H559 Assuredly H3588 Solomon H8010 thy son H1121 shall reign H4427 after H310 me, and he shall sit H3427 upon my throne? H3678 why then doth Adonijah H138 reign? H4427 Behold, while thou yet talkest H1696 there with the king, H4428 I also will come in H935 after H310 thee, and confirm H4390 thy words. H1697 And Bathsheba H1339 went in H935 unto the king H4428 into the chamber: H2315 and the king H4428 was very H3966 old; H2204 and Abishag H49 the Shunammite H7767 ministered H8334 unto the king. H4428 And Bathsheba H1339 bowed, H6915 and did obeisance H7812 unto the king. H4428 And the king H4428 said, H559 What wouldest thou? And she said H559 unto him, My lord, H113 thou swarest H7650 by the LORD H3068 thy God H430 unto thine handmaid, H519 saying, Assuredly Solomon H8010 thy son H1121 shall reign H4427 after H310 me, and he shall sit H3427 upon my throne. H3678 And now, behold, Adonijah H138 reigneth; H4427 and now, my lord H113 the king, H4428 thou knowest H3045 it not:
And Adonijah H138 the son H1121 of Haggith H2294 came H935 to Bathsheba H1339 the mother H517 of Solomon. H8010 And she said, H559 Comest H935 thou peaceably? H7965 And he said, H559 Peaceably. H7965 He said H559 moreover, I have somewhat to say H1697 unto thee. And she said, H559 Say on. H1696 And he said, H559 Thou knowest H3045 that the kingdom H4410 was mine, and that all Israel H3478 set H7760 their faces H6440 on me, that I should reign: H4427 howbeit the kingdom H4410 is turned about, H5437 and is become my brother's: H251 for it was his from the LORD. H3068 And now I ask H7592 one H259 petition H7596 of thee, deny H7725 me H6440 not. And she said H559 unto him, Say on. H1696 And he said, H559 Speak, H559 I pray thee, unto Solomon H8010 the king, H4428 (for he will not say H7725 thee H6440 nay,) H7725 that he give H5414 me Abishag H49 the Shunammite H7767 to wife. H802 And Bathsheba H1339 said, H559 Well; H2896 I will speak H1696 for thee unto the king. H4428 Bathsheba H1339 therefore went H935 unto king H4428 Solomon, H8010 to speak H1696 unto him for Adonijah. H138 And the king H4428 rose up H6965 to meet H7125 her, and bowed H7812 himself unto her, and sat down H3427 on his throne, H3678 and caused a seat H3678 to be set H7760 for the king's H4428 mother; H517 and she sat H3427 on his right hand. H3225 Then she said, H559 I desire H7592 one H259 small H6996 petition H7596 of thee; I pray thee, say H7725 me H6440 not nay. H7725 And the king H4428 said H559 unto her, Ask on, H7592 my mother: H517 for I will not say H7725 thee H6440 nay. H7725 And she said, H559 Let Abishag H49 the Shunammite H7767 be given H5414 to Adonijah H138 thy brother H251 to wife. H802 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 answered H6030 and said H559 unto his mother, H517 And why dost thou ask H7592 Abishag H49 the Shunammite H7767 for Adonijah? H138 ask H7592 for him the kingdom H4410 also; for he is mine elder H1419 brother; H251 even for him, and for Abiathar H54 the priest, H3548 and for Joab H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah. H6870 Then king H4428 Solomon H8010 sware H7650 by the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 God H430 do H6213 so to me, and more also, H3254 if Adonijah H138 have not spoken H1696 this word H1697 against his own life. H5315 Now therefore, as the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 which hath established H3559 me, and set H3427 me on the throne H3678 of David H1732 my father, H1 and who hath made H6213 me an house, H1004 as he promised, H1696 Adonijah H138 shall be put to death H4191 this day. H3117 And king H4428 Solomon H8010 sent H7971 by the hand H3027 of Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada; H3077 and he fell H6293 upon him that he died. H4191
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.