2 Samuel 3:28-39

28 David heard [about it] later and said: "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.

29 May it hang over Joab's head and his father's whole house, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has an infection or leprosy or a man who can only work a spindle^[a] or someone who falls by the sword or starves."

30 Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.^[b]

31 David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner." And King David walked behind the funeral procession.^[c]

32 When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept,

33 and the king sang a lament for Abner:^[d] Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34 Your hands were not bound, your feet not placed in bronze [shackles]. You fell like one who falls victim to criminals. And all the people wept over him even more.

35 Then they came to urge David to eat bread while it was still day, but David took an oath: "May God punish me and do so severely if I taste bread or anything else before sunset!"^[e]

36 All the people took note of this, and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.

37 On that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner.

38 Then the king said to his soldiers, "You must know that a great leader has fallen in Israel today.

39 As for me, even though I am the anointed king, I have little power today. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil!"

2 Samuel 3:28-39 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 3

This chapter begins with the continuation of the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, 2Sa 3:1; and gives an account of the wives of David, and his sons by them, 2Sa 3:2-5; of a quarrel between Ishbosheth and Abner, 2Sa 3:6-11; and of Abner's proposal to make a league with David; but David would not see his face unless Michal his wife was returned to him, who was accordingly, 2Sa 3:12-16; and of the interest Abner made with the elders of Israel in favour of David, which he reported to him, and promised to make more, 2Sa 3:17-21; but Joab returning from a pursuit, and with great spoil, just as Abner departed, and hearing of it, chided David for letting him go, and privately sent for him back, and treacherously murdered him, 2Sa 3:22-27; from which murder David cleared himself and his kingdom, and for it made dreadful imprecations on Joab and his family, 2Sa 3:28-30; and buried Abner with great lamentation, expressing much concern for his death, and the high opinion he had of him, 2Sa 3:31-39.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX reads who uses a crutch
• [b]. 2 Sm 2:23
• [c]. Lit the bed; or the bier
• [d]. 2 Sm 1:17
• [e]. 2 Sm 12:17