2 Samuel 3:7

7 Now Sha'ul had a concubine, whose name was Ritzpah, the daughter of Ayah: and [Ish-Boshet] said to Aviner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?

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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

2 Samuel 3:7 In-Context

5 and the sixth, Yitre`am, of `Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hevron.
6 It happened, while there was war between the house of Sha'ul and the house of David, that Aviner made himself strong in the house of Sha'ul.
7 Now Sha'ul had a concubine, whose name was Ritzpah, the daughter of Ayah: and [Ish-Boshet] said to Aviner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?
8 Then was Aviner very angry for the words of Ish-Boshet, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Yehudah? This day do I show kindness to the house of Sha'ul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.
9 God do so to Aviner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I don't do even so to him;
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.