2 Samuel 3 Study Notes

3:20-21 Abner was ready to coordinate final plans among the northern tribes to gather all Israel to David. Once they made a covenant ratifying his reign over them, David would control the entire nation.

3:22-23 A raid of foreign populations living close to Judah would yield plunder that would help fund ongoing operations (see note at 4:2-3).

3:24 Joab expressed his shock (What have you done?) when he heard that David had let the man who used to be his enemy’s general leave in peace.

3:25 Joab was certain Abner’s motives were impure. It appears Joab’s motives were to protect David’s interests, though he may have been protecting his own as well since Abner would have been a potential rival to Joab as David’s leading general.

3:26 The well of Sirah was a site about two miles northwest of Hebron.

3:27 Joab stabbed him [Abner] in the stomach just as Abner had done to Asahel, Joab’s brother (2:23). Joab may have decided he knew better than David how to handle Saul’s former general. If Joab’s intentions were to exact revenge for Abner’s self-defense slaying of Asahel, he might have needed to submit to the decision of the elders of Hebron, which was a city of refuge (Jos 20:7).

3:28 David heard about what Joab had done, and he distanced himself from any blame for Abner’s death.

3:29 With his words May it hang over Joab’s head, David pronounced a series of curses that might fall on his general for his injustice. At the same time, he did not take Joab’s life because many people may have felt that Joab’s actions were justified, and because Joab was his nephew.

3:30 Perhaps Abishai led the delegation that summoned Abner back to Hebron, thus serving as Joab’s co-conspirator. Abner had killed Asahel in legitimate battle, but Joab killed Abner in a time of peace (1Kg 2:5).

3:31-32 David’s public participation in Abner’s stately funeral would further distance him from blame for Abner’s death. He is also called King David for the first time here. Abner’s burial in Hebron may have been David’s way of honoring Abner by treating him as one of David’s own tribe members. The king wept aloud, something kings did not normally do.

3:33-34 David took his mourning for Abner even further when he sang a lament. He alluded to Abner’s killers (Joab and Abishai) as criminals.

3:35 David determined that he would fast the rest of the day in mourning for Abner. His taking of an oath emphasized his determination to honor Abner in this way.

3:36 David’s integrity with regard to Abner and with regard to his oaths pleased the people. Ironically, Saul had sought to please the people but went back on his oaths and pleased neither the people nor God (see note at 1Sm 14:45).

3:37-38 David’s actions persuaded all the troops and all Israel of his innocence in Abner’s death. His designation of Abner as a great leader may have been the king’s way of showing he could forgive those Israelites who had challenged his kingship if they were now willing to submit to his rule.

3:39 Up to this point David had been anointed as king over Judah only (2:1-4); perhaps he intended his words I am the anointed king to further ingrain this idea in the minds of others as well. At the same time, he considered his position weak in contrast to the fierce nature of Joab and Abishai, the sons of Zeruiah.