2 Samuel 3:12-23

Abner Pledges Support for David

12 Abner sent messengers to David {where he was}, saying, "To whom does the land [belong]? {Make your covenant with me}! Look, my hand [is] with you to bring all of Israel over to you!"

13 He said, "Good. {I will make a covenant with you}. I am asking only one thing from you: You shall not see my face unless you bring Michal the daughter of Saul when you come to see {me}."

14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, saying, "Give [me] my wife Michal whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred foreskins of [the] Philistines."

15 So Ish-Bosheth sent and took her from [her] husband, from Paltiel the son of Laish.

16 But her husband went with her, {weeping all along} after her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go [and] return." So he returned.

17 The word of Abner {came to} the elders of Israel, saying, "{For quite some time} you were seeking David as king over you.

18 So then, bring it about, because Yahweh had said to David, "Through the hand of David my servant [I am about] to save my people Israel from the hand of [the] Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies."

19 Abner also spoke {privately to Benjamin}. Abner also went {to speak to David} in Hebron, all that [was] good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.

20 Then Abner came to David in Hebron and with him [were] twenty men. David had prepared a feast for Abner and for the men who [were] with him.

21 And Abner said to David, "Let me get up and go and gather all of Israel to my lord the king, that they may {make a covenant} with you so you can reign over all which your soul desires." So David dismissed Abner, and he left in peace.

22 And look, the servants of David and Joab came from the raid, and they brought much plunder with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace.

23 When Joab and all the army that [was] with him came, they told Joab, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he left in peace."

2 Samuel 3:12-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 3

This chapter begins with the continuation of the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, 2Sa 3:1; and gives an account of the wives of David, and his sons by them, 2Sa 3:2-5; of a quarrel between Ishbosheth and Abner, 2Sa 3:6-11; and of Abner's proposal to make a league with David; but David would not see his face unless Michal his wife was returned to him, who was accordingly, 2Sa 3:12-16; and of the interest Abner made with the elders of Israel in favour of David, which he reported to him, and promised to make more, 2Sa 3:17-21; but Joab returning from a pursuit, and with great spoil, just as Abner departed, and hearing of it, chided David for letting him go, and privately sent for him back, and treacherously murdered him, 2Sa 3:22-27; from which murder David cleared himself and his kingdom, and for it made dreadful imprecations on Joab and his family, 2Sa 3:28-30; and buried Abner with great lamentation, expressing much concern for his death, and the high opinion he had of him, 2Sa 3:31-39.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "under him"
• [b]. Literally "cut your covenant with me"
• [c]. David
• [d]. Literally "I will cut a covenant with you"
• [e]. Literally "my face"
• [f]. Hebrew "me"
• [g]. The Hebrew Masoretic text (Kethib) reads "Lush"; Qere reads "Laish"
• [h]. Literally "going and weeping"
• [i]. Literally "was with"
• [j]. Literally "Both yesterday and the day before"
• [k]. Literally "in the ears of Benjamin"
• [l]. Literally "to speak in the ears of David"
• [m]. Literally "cut a covenant"
• [n]. David