2 Samuel 3:25

25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going-out and thy coming-in, and to know all that thou doest.

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 Joab and all the host that [was] with him had come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he hath gone in peace.

24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came to thee; why [is] it [that] thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going-out and thy coming-in, and to know all that thou doest.

26 And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew [it] not.

27 And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth [rib] that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.