ABNER IS TREACHEROUSLY MURDERED BY JOAB 3. Chileab] We read nothing more of him and he probably died as a child. In 1 Chronicles 3:1 he is called Daniel. GESHUR] a kingdom on the border of Bashan, where Absalom afterwards took refuge (2 Samuel 13:37) It must not be confused with the Geshur of 1 Sam... [ Continue Reading ]
ADONIJAH] see 1 Kings 1.... [ Continue Reading ]
RIZPAH] see 2 Samuel 21:8. GONE IN UNTO MY FATHER'S CONCUBINE] According to Eastern ideas this was equivalent to laying claim to the throne: see 2 Samuel 12:8; 2 Samuel 16:22; 1 Kings 2:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Am_ I A DOG'S HEAD, WHICH AGAINST JUDAH?] RV 'Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah?' i.e. a despised enemy. DO SHEW KINDNESS THIS DAY] RV 'This day' (i.e. at the very time you bring this trivial charge) 'do I shew kindness': see on 1 Kings 2:17. THIS WOMAN] LXX 'a woman.' It was the question o... [ Continue Reading ]
EXCEPT.. EVEN SO I DO TO HIM] RV 'if. I do not even so to him,' i.e. support David instead of Ish-bosheth.... [ Continue Reading ]
ON HIS BEHALF] RM 'where he was.' WHOSE _is_ THE LAND? SAYING] LXX omits.... [ Continue Reading ]
EXCEPT THOU FIRST BRING MICHAL] see 1 Samuel 25:44.... [ Continue Reading ]
BAHURIM] in Benjamin, on the road from Jerusalem to the Jordan. It was probably the last town in the dominions of Ish-bosheth.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SOUGHT FOR DAVID] It would thus seem that even in northern Israel there was a strong party, who wished to make David king on the death of Saul. It was probably the personal influence of Abner that decided the day in favour of Ish-bosheth. The whole passage clearly shows how weak was the hereditar... [ Continue Reading ]
BENJAMIN] as being Saul's fellow-tribesmen they would be specially attached to the royal house and need additional persuasion.... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKE A LEAGUE WITH THEE] as they did with Saul (1 Samuel 10:25) and as they tried to do with Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:4). Before making him king, they wished to see their rights safeguarded.... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM _pursuing_ A TROOP] RV 'from a foray.' David had probably arranged a time when Joab was absent.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY _is_ IT _that_ THOU HAST SENT HIM AWAY?] As a kinsman of Asahel, Joab thought that David should have avenged his death.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE BLOOD OF ASAHEL HIS BROTHER] According to Eastern ideas Joab was bound to avenge his brother's murder. Neither Judaism, Christianity, nor Mohammedanism has been able to eradicate this feeling. But the Law provided a remedy in the Cities of Refuge (see Numbers 35:11). In the case before us, J... [ Continue Reading ]
ON ALL HIS FATHER'S HOUSE] According to Jewish ideas the family was involved in the fate of the ancestor: cp. 2 Samuel 21:6; 2 Kings 5:27. LEANETH ON A STAFF] rather, 'that holdeth the spindle': cp. Proverbs 31:19. It was despicable work for a man.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOURN BEFORE ABNER] i.e. precede the bier. This was all the punishment David was strong enough to inflict.... [ Continue Reading ]
DIED ABNER AS A FOOL DIETH?] i.e. as one who runs into needless danger, or meets his death when engaged in a shameful conspiracy: see on 1 Samuel 25:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
TILL THE SUN BE DOWN] The regular time for ending a fast, as it still is in Mohammedan countries. The Hebrew day was reckoned from sunset to sunset.... [ Continue Reading ]