2 Samuel 3:25

25 Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”

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 his troops arrived, he was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, who sent him on his way in peace.”

24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!

25 Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”

26 As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David was unaware of it.

27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.