2 Samuel3chapter 3

2 Samuel 3:6

“Abner made himself strong - This strengthening of himself, and going in to the late king’s concubine, were most evident proofs that he wished to seize upon the government. See 1Ki 2:21, 1Ki 2:22; 1Ki 12:8; 1Ki 16:21.”

2 Samuel 3:7

“And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah,.... By whom he had two sons, 2Sa 21:”

2 Samuel 3:7

“Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah - For the sequel of her history, see the marginal reference. Aiah, was an Edomite, or rather Horite name Gen 36:24.”

2 Samuel 3:8

“Am I a dog’s head - Dost thou treat a man with indignity who has been the only prop of thy tottering kingdom, and the only person who could make head against the house of David?”

2 Samuel 3:9

“Except, as the Lord hath sworn to David - And why did he not do this before, when he knew that God had given the kingdom to David? Was he not now, according to his own concession, fighting against God?”

2 Samuel 3:10

“To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul,.... Which was what the Lord had sworn to do, 1Sa 15:28; and which Abner now threatens to do, insolently taking that to himself which belonged to the Lord, and as if he could not do it without him: and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah; over the one as well as over the other; for it was set over Judah already: from Dan even unto Beersheba; which were the utmost borders of the land of Israel, from north to south, and so includes the whole.”

2 Samuel 3:11

“If Ish-bosheth had had the spirit of a man, especially of a prince, he might have answered him that his merits were the aggravation of his crimes, that he would not be served by so base a man, and doubted not but to do well enough without him. But he was conscious to himself of his own weakness, and therefore said not a word, lest he should make bad worse.”

2 Samuel 3:12

“And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,.... On his own account, and not on the account of Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel; but to obtain terms for himself, or in his own name, as representing him and standing in his stead; or secretly, as Kimchi explains it, unknown to Ishbosheth, or the people of Israel.”

2 Samuel 3:12

“Abner sent messengers to David--Though his language implied a secret conviction, that in supporting Ish-bosheth he had been laboring to frustrate the divine purpose of conferring the sovereignty of the kingdom on David, this acknowledgment was no justification either of the measure he was now adopting, or of the motives that prompted it.”

2 Samuel 3:12

“He sent messengers to David, to tell him that he was at his service. " Whose is the land? For thou hast the best title to the government and the best interest in the people's affections." Note, God can find out ways to make those serviceable to the kingdom of Christ who yet have no sincere affection for it and who have vigorously set themselves against it.”

2 Samuel 3:13

“David’s motive in requiring the restitution of Michal was partly his affection for her, and his memory of her love for him; partly the wish to wipe out the affront put upon him in taking away his wife, by obtaining her return; and partly, also, a politic consideration of the effect on Saul’s partisans of a daughter of Saul being David’s queen.”

2 Samuel 3:14

“Deliver me my wife - It is supposed that he meant to screen Abner; and to prevent that violence which he might have used in carrying off Michal.”

2 Samuel 3:15

“And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband,.... Her second husband, to whom Saul had given her, 1Sa 25:44, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish; he is called Phalti in 1Sa 25:44.”

2 Samuel 3:16

“And her husband went with her along weeping behind her,.... Because of his great affection to her, unwilling to part with her, but forced to it at the command of the king her brother: to Bahurim; a city in the tribe of Benjamin, 2Sa 19:16; perhaps the same with Almon, Jos 21:18; these two words being of the same signification; and the Targum has it hero Almuth; so Alemeth in 1Ch 6:60. It seems to be the same Josephus (c) calls Bachures, and says it was not far from Jerusalem.”

2 Samuel 3:16

“Weeping behind her - If genuine affection did not still subsist between David and Michal, it was a pity to have taken her from Phaltiel, who had her to wife from the conjoint authority of her father and her king. Nevertheless David had a legal right to her, as she had never been divorced, for she was taken from him by the hand of violence.”

2 Samuel 3:17

“Ye sought for David ... - Compare 1Sa 18:5. It was only by Abner’s great influence that the elders of Israel had been restrained hitherto from declaring for David, and this accounts for Ish-bosheth’s helpless submission to his uncle’s dictation.”

2 Samuel 3:17-21

“Abner had communication with the elders of Israel--He spoke the truth in impressing their minds with the well-known fact of David's divine designation to the kingdom. But he acted a base and hypocritical part in pretending that his present movement was prompted by religious motives, when it sprang entirely from malice and revenge against Ish-bosheth.”

2 Samuel 3:18

The Lord hath spoken of David - Where is this spoken? Such a promise is not extant. Perhaps it means no more than, “Thus, it may be presumed, God hath determined.”

2 Samuel 3:20

“He had bound the people to himself freely in doing his duty; first, when during the division among the people he preferred to live like an exile at Hebron rather than to reign at Jerusalem; next, when he showed that he loved valor even in an enemy. He had also thought that justice should be shown to those who had borne arms against himself the same as to his own men. Again, he admired Abner, the bravest champion of the opposing side, while he was their leader and was yet waging war.”

2 Samuel 3:20

“Twenty men - These were doubtless his official suite as Ish-bosheth’s envoy to conduct Michal to David, but privy and consenting to his intrigue with David. It is remarkable that not a word should be said about the meeting of David and Michal.”

2 Samuel 3:24

“Joab saw that if Abner was reconciled to David, his own post as second in the state would be forfeited; and then with characteristic unscrupulosity he proceeded to take Abner’s life.”

2 Samuel 3:24-27

“To these considerations was added the remembrance of the blood feud that existed between them since the death of his brother Asahel (2Sa 2:23).”

2 Samuel 3:26

“The well Sirah - Nowhere else mentioned; according to Josephus, about two and a half miles from Hebron.”

2 Samuel 3:27

“And smote him there - Joab feared that, after having rendered such essential services to David, Abner would be made captain of the host: he therefore determined to prevent it by murdering the man, under pretense of avenging the death of his brother Asahel. The murder, however, was one of the most unprovoked and wicked: and such was the power and influence of this nefarious general, that the king dared not to bring him to justice for his crime. In the same way he murdered Amasa, a little time afterwards. See 2Sa 20:”

2 Samuel 3:28

“It is a comfort to be able to say, when any bad thing is done, that we had no hand in it. We have not shed this blood, Deut. xxi. However we may be censured or suspected, our hearts shall not reproach us.”

2 Samuel 3:29

“The curse of David proves that Joab was not justified as blood-revenger or Goel 2Sa 3:27 in taking away Abner’s life. That leaneth on a staff - Rather, a crutch. The phrase denotes one lame or infirm. For similar instances of hereditary disease and poverty as a punishment of great sin, see 1Sa 2:31-33, 1Sa 2:36; 2Ki 5:27; Joh 9:2.”

2 Samuel 3:30

“Abishai - For though Joab only committed the murder, yet Abishai was guilty of it, because it was done with his consent, and counsel, and approbation. In battle - Which he did for his own necessary defense; and therefore it was no justification of this treacherous murder.”

2 Samuel 3:30

“Righteousness supports the throne and will never shake it. Yet it was only a reprieve that David gave to Joab; on his death-bed he left it to Solomon (who could the better wield the sword of justice because he had no occasion to draw the sword of war) to avenge the blood of Abner. Evil pursues sinners, and will overtake them at last.”

2 Samuel 3:31

“Joab - Him he especially obliged to it, to bring him to repentance for his sin, and to expose him to public shame. Followed - That is, attending upon his corps, and paying him that respect which was due to his quality.”

2 Samuel 3:32

“Though Abner had been his enemy, and might possibly have proved no very firm friend, yet because he had been a man of bravery in the field, and might have done great service in the public counsels at this critical juncture, all former quarrels are forgotten and David is a true mourner for his fall.”

2 Samuel 3:33

“Lamented - i. e. composed and sang the funeral dirge which follows (compare 2Sa 1:17). Died Abner ... - i. e. The great and noble and valiant Abner had died as ignobly and as helplessly as the meanest churl!”

2 Samuel 3:33

“Was he cut off by the hand of justice for his crimes? Nothing less; but by Joab's malice and treachery. It is a sad thing to die as a fool dieth, as they do that any way shorten their own days: and indeed all they that make no provision for another world.”

2 Samuel 3:34

“Thy hands were not bound ... - This thought prepares the way for the solution; Abner had been treacherously murdered by wicked men.”

2 Samuel 3:36

“The people took notice - They saw that the king’s grief was sincere, and that he had no part nor device in the murder of Abner: see 2Sa 3:37.”

2 Samuel 3:38

“If he could be brought to do it sincerely, it would be an expression of repentance for his sin in slaying him. If he did it in show only, as it is likely he did, yet it was a sort of penance imposed upon him, and a present commutation of the punishment. If he do not as yet expiate the murder with his blood, let him do something towards it with tears.”

2 Samuel 3:39

“I am this day weak - Had Abner lived, all the tribes of Israel would have been brought under my government. Though anointed king - I have little else than the title: first, having only one tribe under my government; and secondly, the sons of Zeruiah, Joab and his brethren, having usurped all the power, and reduced me to the shadow of royalty. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil - That is, Joab, whom he appears afraid to name.”

2 Samuel 3:39

“It was therefore carnal wicked policy, yea cruel pity that spared him. If the law had had its course against Joab, it is probable the murder of Ishbosheth, Ammon, and others, had been prevented. So truly was he in these, and some other respects, a bloody man, which may be observed to the glory of the Divine grace, in his forgiveness and conversion.”