2 Samuel 3:12

12 And Abner sent men to David at Hebron, saying, Make an agreement with me, and I will give you my support in getting all Israel on your side.

2 Samuel 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 3:12

And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf
On his own account, and not on the account of Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel; but to obtain terms for himself, or in his own name, as representing him and standing in his stead; or secretly, as Kimchi explains it, unknown to Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel. The Targum is,

``out of his place;''

he sent them from the place where he was, from Mahanaim:

saying, whose [is] the land?
the land of Israel, is it not thine, David? verily it is; to whom does it belong but unto thee, to whom the Lord has given it? not to any of Saul's posterity: this he ordered the messengers to say in the first place, in order to ingratiate himself to David, and gain his messengers an audience. The Targum is,

``I swear by him that made the earth;''

so Jarchi says, it is an oath by him whose the earth is, even by the living God, whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof:

saying [also], make thy league with me;
he desired to enter into a covenant of friendship with him, that everything that had passed might be forgiven and forgotten:

and, behold, my hand [shall be] with thee, to bring about all Israel
unto thee:
he promises on his part to do his utmost to bring all Israel under his government and to obedience to him.

2 Samuel 3:12 In-Context

10 And if I do not take away the kingdom from the family of Saul and make David ruler over Israel and Judah from Dan as far as Beer-sheba!

11 And so great was Ish-bosheth's fear of Abner that he was not able to say a word in answer.

12 And Abner sent men to David at Hebron, saying, Make an agreement with me, and I will give you my support in getting all Israel on your side.

13 And he said, It is well; I will make an agreement with you, but on one condition, which is, that when you come before me, Saul's daughter Michal is to come with you; till she comes you will not see my face.

14 And David sent men to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, saying, Give me back Michal, my wife, whom I made mine for the price of the private parts of a hundred Philistines.