2 Samuel 3:7

7 Now Saul had among his wives a woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you taken my father's wife?

2 Samuel 3:7 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 3:7

And Saul had a concubine, whose name [was] Rizpah, the daughter
of Aiah
By whom he had two sons, ( 2 Samuel 21:8 ) . Josephus ^F1 calls her father's name Sibathus:

and [Ishbosheth] said to Abner;
though the word "Ishbosheth" is not in the text, it is rightly supplied; for no other can be supposed to speak:

wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?
and defiled her; though perhaps it was not so much the act of uncleanness that so much offended him, or the dishonour reflected on him and his family thereby, as it discovered an ambitious view in Abner to get the kingdom into his own hands, to which this was the leading step; see ( 1 Kings 2:22 ) . Whether Abner was really guilty of this sin or no is not easy to determine; though, by his not absolutely denying it, it looks as if it was not merely a jealousy of Ishbosheth, or a false report made unto him; though, especially if he was not fully satisfied of it, it would have been his wisdom to have said nothing of it to him, since his continuance on the throne so much depended on him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 1. sect. 4.

2 Samuel 3:7 In-Context

5 And the sixth, Ithream, whose mother was David's wife Eglah. These were the sons of David, whose birth took place in Hebron.

6 Now while there was war between Saul's people and David's people, Abner was making himself strong among the supporters of Saul.

7 Now Saul had among his wives a woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you taken my father's wife?

8 And Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? I am this day doing all in my power for the cause of your father Saul and for his brothers and his friends, and have not given you up into the hands of David, and now you say I have done wrong with a woman.

9 May God's punishment be on Abner, if I do not for David as the Lord in his oath has said,