2 Samuel 3
General Joab murders General Abner
Six sons for David in Hebron
1 Chronicles 3:1-4 1The civil war between Saulâs kingdom and Davidâs tribe lasted a long time. [1] It weakened Saulâs dynasty and strengthened Davidâs kingdom.
2Six of Davidâs wives gave birth to a son in Hebron:
Amnon was born first, to Ahinoam of Jezreel.
3Chileab, to Abigail of Carmel and widow of Nabal.
Absalom, to Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur
4Adonijah, to Haggith.
Shephatiah, to Abital.
5Ithream, to Eglah. All six were born in Hebron. Abner loads himself with power
6During the war between the ruling families of David and Saulâs son, Ishbosheth, Abner continued to support Saulâs dynasty. And his influence there took an incredible leap. 7Ishbosheth once asked him, âWhat do you think youâre doing sleeping with one of my fatherâs concubines?â [2] The woman was Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.
8Abner was livid at such a question. He said, âDo I look like a Judean dog wagging my tail for you? Iâve served your fatherâs dynasty, family, and friends with nothing but loyalty. And I didnât arrest you and turn you over to David? Yet your reward for this devotion is to complain about me having sex with this woman? 9As God is my witness, Your Highness, Iâll give you an answer. Iâm going to help David get what God said he would get. 10Iâm going to give him your kingdom. God said he would transfer Saulâs kingdom to David and that David would rule the entire country, from Dan to Beersheba.â
11Stunned, Ishbosheth didnât say a word. He was too afraid. General Abner betrays his king
12Abner sent a secret message to David: âWe both know this land belongs to you, donât we? Letâs work out a deal between the two of us. And Iâll throw my support to you and say you are the rightful king of Israel.â
13David said, âGreat. Letâs agree to make peace between the two of us. But I have one non-negotiable: Michal. [3] Donât come to see me unless you bring Michal, Saulâs daughter.â David takes Michel from her husband
14Afterward, David sent ambassadors to Ishbosheth with a formal message: âGive me back my wife, Michal. I bought her at the high price of 100 foreskins of Philistines.â
15Ishbosheth gave the order. He had Michal taken from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16Crying, her husband walked behind her all the way to Bahurim. [4] Finally, Abner told him, âGo home.â So he left. Preping to declare David king of Israel
17Abner sent a message to leaders throughout the northern tribes of Israel. He said, âYouâve been wanting David as your king for a long time. 18Now is the time to make it happen. God gave David this promise: âIâm going to save my people of Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies. Iâm going to use you to do it.ââ
19Abner delivered this message in person to leaders of his tribe, Benjamin. Then he went to David, in Hebron, and told him that Israel was ready to transfer power to him.
20David threw a feast to welcome Abner and the 20 men who came with him. 21Abner said, âLet me go back and call the people together so everyone in Israel can pledge their allegiance to you. Then you can begin to rule wherever you like.â David sent Abner on his way to do that. Joab murders Abner
22Abner left peacefully about the time Joab and his men returned from raiding enemies. They came loaded with property they stole from places they raided.
23Someone told Joab, âJust so you know, Abner the son of Ner was here to see the king. Afterward, the king sent him on his way in peace.â 24Joab went to the king and said, âWhat are you doing? Abner came here and you let him go? Why did you do that? 25Donât you realize he came here on a scouting mission, to learn as much as possible about you and what youâre up to?â
26Joab stormed out of that meeting with David and secretly sent messengers to Abner. They caught up with him at the cistern well of Sirah. [5] 27Abner went back to Hebron. Joab met him at the city gate and asked him to step to the side so they could have a private talk. Instead, Joab stabbed him in the stomach. It was payback for killing Joabâs brother, Asahel. [6] David puts a curse on Joab
28David heard about it later. He said, âI had nothing to do with Abnerâs death. I didnât approve of this. 29Joab did this on his own. So let him suffer the consequences. May every generation of his family have at least one reminder of this sin, whether itâs a person with an oozing skin disease, or someone who has to walk with a crutch, or someone killed by a sword, or someone starving.â
30Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner for killing their brother, Asahel, in the Battle of Gibeon. Forced mourning Abner
31David gave orders to Joab and all the people in on the murder: âTear your clothes to express some mourning. Then put on sackcloth [7] clothes and drop ashes on your head. You need to go into mourning for Abner.â David followed the body to burial. 32They buried Abner in Hebron. King David cried out loudly, weeping for him. Those with him wept, as well.
33The king wrote a chorus, mourning Abner:
You died the death of a mark.
34No need to tie your hands.
No need to chain your feet.
You fell into the trap
Of a man without honor.
Everyone wept at Abnerâs death. David fasts for Abner
35David stopped eating that day. Some people tried to talk him into eating something before nightfall. He said, âNo. As God is my witness, I wonât eat anything until the sun goes down.â 36When people realized David was fasting over Abnerâs death, they were happy to see their king doing that.
37Word spread about Abnerâs death. Everyone in Judah and all over Israel knew David had no part of it. 38David told his servants, âDo you understand that a great leader of Israel has died today? 39Iâm the king. But I donât have the kind of power it takes to control these two violent sons of Zeruiah. The LORD has to deal with them and give them what they deserve for what theyâve done.â [8] Footnotes
13:1The writer doesnât say how long. But Saulâs son reigned for two years. Fighting may have lasted that long.
23:7Concubines were women who lived with a man in a legally binding relationship as secondary wives, but who had less social status and fewer perks than a wife (1 Kings 11:3). With King Saul dead, his concubines became Ishboshethâs property. If Abner did sleep with Rizpah, he was perhaps exerting his power over the king, revealing Ishbosheth as more of a pretend king than one with real power.
33:13Michal had been Davidâs first wife. Saul got angry with David and gave his daughter to another man (1 Samuel 25:44). David didnât know Michal had settled into her new life, and she loved her second husband. Given what follows in their story, David didnât seem to care. It seems, too, that she never forgave him for taking her away from her husband (2 Samuel 6:23; 1 Chronicles 15:29).
43:16Location of Bahurim is uncertain. Scholars suggest several locations, most of which are a few miles or kilometers east of Jerusalem and along the trail down to Jericho, in the Jordan River Valley.
53:26First-century Jewish historian, Josephus, called the town Besera and said it was two miles (3 km) north of Hebron.
63:272 Samuel 2:23.
73:31Sackcloth was a rough fabric like burlap feed sacks. It was made from goat hair and camel hair. Farmers and their customers used those sacks to store grain. People mourning in Bible times dressed in rough clothes and sprinkled their heads and bodies with dirt or cooled ashes from firewood. This disheveled look expressed the chaos and grief inside them. Today, weâll dress in black, wear armbands, or get memorial tattoos. By the way, memorial tattoos arenât kosher: âDonât do anything to commemorate the dead if it involves cutting your body or permanently painting yourself with tattoos. I am the LORDâ (Leviticus 19:28).
83:39What Joab and his brother did, as far as David was concerned, was to halt the peaceful transfer of power. Abner was orchestrating the transfer of Saulâs kingdom to David. Joab killed the deal with a dagger to Abnerâs gut. So, when David cried for Abner, he may have cried a bit for what his kingdom lost and the price they might have to pay to unite the kingdoms.
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2Six of Davidâs wives gave birth to a son in Hebron:
Amnon was born first, to Ahinoam of Jezreel.
3Chileab, to Abigail of Carmel and widow of Nabal.
Absalom, to Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur
4Adonijah, to Haggith.
Shephatiah, to Abital.
5Ithream, to Eglah. All six were born in Hebron.
Abner loads himself with power
6During the war between the ruling families of David and Saulâs son, Ishbosheth, Abner continued to support Saulâs dynasty. And his influence there took an incredible leap. 7Ishbosheth once asked him, âWhat do you think youâre doing sleeping with one of my fatherâs concubines?â [2] The woman was Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.8Abner was livid at such a question. He said, âDo I look like a Judean dog wagging my tail for you? Iâve served your fatherâs dynasty, family, and friends with nothing but loyalty. And I didnât arrest you and turn you over to David? Yet your reward for this devotion is to complain about me having sex with this woman? 9As God is my witness, Your Highness, Iâll give you an answer. Iâm going to help David get what God said he would get. 10Iâm going to give him your kingdom. God said he would transfer Saulâs kingdom to David and that David would rule the entire country, from Dan to Beersheba.â
11Stunned, Ishbosheth didnât say a word. He was too afraid.
General Abner betrays his king
12Abner sent a secret message to David: âWe both know this land belongs to you, donât we? Letâs work out a deal between the two of us. And Iâll throw my support to you and say you are the rightful king of Israel.â13David said, âGreat. Letâs agree to make peace between the two of us. But I have one non-negotiable: Michal. [3] Donât come to see me unless you bring Michal, Saulâs daughter.â
David takes Michel from her husband
14Afterward, David sent ambassadors to Ishbosheth with a formal message: âGive me back my wife, Michal. I bought her at the high price of 100 foreskins of Philistines.â15Ishbosheth gave the order. He had Michal taken from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16Crying, her husband walked behind her all the way to Bahurim. [4] Finally, Abner told him, âGo home.â So he left.
Preping to declare David king of Israel
17Abner sent a message to leaders throughout the northern tribes of Israel. He said, âYouâve been wanting David as your king for a long time. 18Now is the time to make it happen. God gave David this promise: âIâm going to save my people of Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies. Iâm going to use you to do it.ââ19Abner delivered this message in person to leaders of his tribe, Benjamin. Then he went to David, in Hebron, and told him that Israel was ready to transfer power to him.
20David threw a feast to welcome Abner and the 20 men who came with him. 21Abner said, âLet me go back and call the people together so everyone in Israel can pledge their allegiance to you. Then you can begin to rule wherever you like.â David sent Abner on his way to do that.
Joab murders Abner
22Abner left peacefully about the time Joab and his men returned from raiding enemies. They came loaded with property they stole from places they raided.23Someone told Joab, âJust so you know, Abner the son of Ner was here to see the king. Afterward, the king sent him on his way in peace.â 24Joab went to the king and said, âWhat are you doing? Abner came here and you let him go? Why did you do that? 25Donât you realize he came here on a scouting mission, to learn as much as possible about you and what youâre up to?â
26Joab stormed out of that meeting with David and secretly sent messengers to Abner. They caught up with him at the cistern well of Sirah. [5] 27Abner went back to Hebron. Joab met him at the city gate and asked him to step to the side so they could have a private talk. Instead, Joab stabbed him in the stomach. It was payback for killing Joabâs brother, Asahel. [6]
David puts a curse on Joab
28David heard about it later. He said, âI had nothing to do with Abnerâs death. I didnât approve of this. 29Joab did this on his own. So let him suffer the consequences. May every generation of his family have at least one reminder of this sin, whether itâs a person with an oozing skin disease, or someone who has to walk with a crutch, or someone killed by a sword, or someone starving.â30Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner for killing their brother, Asahel, in the Battle of Gibeon.
Forced mourning Abner
31David gave orders to Joab and all the people in on the murder: âTear your clothes to express some mourning. Then put on sackcloth [7] clothes and drop ashes on your head. You need to go into mourning for Abner.â David followed the body to burial. 32They buried Abner in Hebron. King David cried out loudly, weeping for him. Those with him wept, as well.33The king wrote a chorus, mourning Abner:
You died the death of a mark.
No need to chain your feet.
You fell into the trap
Of a man without honor. Everyone wept at Abnerâs death.
David fasts for Abner
35David stopped eating that day. Some people tried to talk him into eating something before nightfall. He said, âNo. As God is my witness, I wonât eat anything until the sun goes down.â 36When people realized David was fasting over Abnerâs death, they were happy to see their king doing that.37Word spread about Abnerâs death. Everyone in Judah and all over Israel knew David had no part of it. 38David told his servants, âDo you understand that a great leader of Israel has died today? 39Iâm the king. But I donât have the kind of power it takes to control these two violent sons of Zeruiah. The LORD has to deal with them and give them what they deserve for what theyâve done.â [8]
Footnotes
The writer doesnât say how long. But Saulâs son reigned for two years. Fighting may have lasted that long.
Concubines were women who lived with a man in a legally binding relationship as secondary wives, but who had less social status and fewer perks than a wife (1 Kings 11:3). With King Saul dead, his concubines became Ishboshethâs property. If Abner did sleep with Rizpah, he was perhaps exerting his power over the king, revealing Ishbosheth as more of a pretend king than one with real power.
Michal had been Davidâs first wife. Saul got angry with David and gave his daughter to another man (1 Samuel 25:44). David didnât know Michal had settled into her new life, and she loved her second husband. Given what follows in their story, David didnât seem to care. It seems, too, that she never forgave him for taking her away from her husband (2 Samuel 6:23; 1 Chronicles 15:29).
Location of Bahurim is uncertain. Scholars suggest several locations, most of which are a few miles or kilometers east of Jerusalem and along the trail down to Jericho, in the Jordan River Valley.
First-century Jewish historian, Josephus, called the town Besera and said it was two miles (3 km) north of Hebron.
2 Samuel 2:23.
Sackcloth was a rough fabric like burlap feed sacks. It was made from goat hair and camel hair. Farmers and their customers used those sacks to store grain. People mourning in Bible times dressed in rough clothes and sprinkled their heads and bodies with dirt or cooled ashes from firewood. This disheveled look expressed the chaos and grief inside them. Today, weâll dress in black, wear armbands, or get memorial tattoos. By the way, memorial tattoos arenât kosher: âDonât do anything to commemorate the dead if it involves cutting your body or permanently painting yourself with tattoos. I am the LORDâ (Leviticus 19:28).
What Joab and his brother did, as far as David was concerned, was to halt the peaceful transfer of power. Abner was orchestrating the transfer of Saulâs kingdom to David. Joab killed the deal with a dagger to Abnerâs gut. So, when David cried for Abner, he may have cried a bit for what his kingdom lost and the price they might have to pay to unite the kingdoms.
Discussion Questions
- Sorry, there are currently no questions for this chapter.