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'... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 firstb... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL HAD A CONCUBINE, WHOSE NAME [WAS] RIZPAH, THE DAUGHTER OF AIAH,.... By whom he had two sons, 2 Samuel 21:8. Josephus a 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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 tha... [ Continue Reading ]
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 AN... [ Continue Reading ]
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;... [ Continue Reading ]
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 t... [ Continue Reading ]
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 admi... [ Continue Reading ]
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; tha... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 w... [ Continue Reading ]
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 throug... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 lea... [ Continue Reading ]
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 lea... [ Continue Reading ]
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 pu... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 wa... [ Continue Reading ]
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 hop... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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 conc... [ Continue Reading ]
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, an... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Josephu... [ Continue Reading ]
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 h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY BURIED ABNER IN HEBRON,.... According to the Jewish account of places of burial s, he was buried in the midst of the city, though burying places were generally without; and so Fuller t places this in his map; whether the cave of Machpelah, which was near Hebron, was now used for a burying p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING LAMENTED OVER ABNER,.... Delivered an elegy or funeral oration, which he had composed on this occasion, as Josephus u 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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 a... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Romans w; Jeremi... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING SAID UNTO HIS SERVANTS,.... His courtiers, giving a reason why he mourned as he did; or "had said" w, 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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]