2 Samuel 3:25

25 You know Avner the son of Ner - he came only to deceive you, to learn what campaigns you're planning and to find out everything you're doing!"

2 Samuel 3:25 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 3:25

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 hopes, or to lead into wrong measures with an intention to involve and ruin him:

and to know thy going out, and coming in;
the affairs of his court, the secrets of his government, to observe his conduct and behaviour, and all his actions, and improve them against him:

and to know all that thou doest;
he suggests that he came not as a friend, but as a spy, and therefore ought to have been taken up, and detained, and not dismissed. This Joab said to set David against him, fearing, if he should be received into favour, he would be a rival of his; and besides his breast was full of revenge against him for the death of his brother.

2 Samuel 3:25 In-Context

23 When Yo'av and all his army had arrived, Yo'av was told, "Avner the son of Ner came to the king, but he sent him off, and he has left under safe conduct."

24 Yo'av went to the king and said, "What have you done? Here, Avner came to you, and you sent him away, and now he's gone! Why?

25 You know Avner the son of Ner - he came only to deceive you, to learn what campaigns you're planning and to find out everything you're doing!"

26 After leaving David, Yo'av sent messengers after Avner, and they brought him back from the water cistern at Sirah without David's knowledge.

27 Upon Avner's return to Hevron, Yo'av took him aside into the space between the outer and inner city gates as if to speak with him privately; and there he struck him in the groin, so that he died - thus avenging the death of 'Asah'el his brother.