2 Samuel 3:23

23 When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety.

2 Samuel 3:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 3:23

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, and report their success:

they told Joab, saying, Abner the son, of Ner came to the king;
some of the courtiers informed him of it, who knew it would not be very agreeable to him:

and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace:
instead of seizing him, and laying him in a prison as his enemy, he has let him go with all the marks of friendship and good will.

2 Samuel 3:23 In-Context

21 Abner told David, "I will go now and win all Israel over to Your Majesty. They will accept you as king, and then you will get what you have wanted and will rule over the whole land." David gave Abner a guarantee of safety and sent him on his way.

22 Later on Joab and David's other officials returned from a raid, bringing a large amount of loot with them. Abner, however, was no longer there at Hebron with David, because David had sent him away with a guarantee of safety.

23 When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety.

24 So Joab went to the king and said to him, "What have you done? Abner came to you - why did you let him go like that?

25 He came here to deceive you and to find out everything you do and everywhere you go. Surely you know that!"