2 Samuel 3:16

16 But her husband went with her, {weeping all along} after her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go [and] return." So he returned.

2 Samuel 3:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 3:16

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 words being of the same signification; and the Targum has it hero Almuth; so Alemeth in ( 1 Chronicles 6:60 ) . It seems to be the same Josephus F3 calls Bachures, and says it was not far from Jerusalem. Bunting F4 says it was something more than a mile towards the northeast, and at this time is a fair castle strongly fortified, standing in a high place, and in the valley near it, at the stone Bohan, ( Joshua 15:6 ) ; see ( 2 Samuel 17:18 ) ;

then said Abner to him, go, return, and he returned;
by which it appears that Abner came with her to introduce her to David, without whom he was not to see his face; and he did not choose her husband should go with her any further, and was at his orders obliged to go back, who otherwise would have gladly accompanied her further still, through his great affection for her.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7.
F4 Travels, p. 144.

2 Samuel 3:16 In-Context

14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, "Give [me] my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of [the] Philistines."
15 So Ish-Bosheth sent and took her from [her] husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 But her husband went with her, {weeping all along} after her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go [and] return." So he returned.
17 The word of Abner {came to} the elders of Israel, saying, "{For quite some time} you were seeking David as king over you.
18 So then, bring it about, because Yahweh had said to David, "Through the hand of David my servant [I am about] to save my people Israel from the hand of [the] Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "going and weeping"
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