2 Samuel 3:6
in 2 Samuel 3During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.
KJV
And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 3
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAbner 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.
This site's exposition
made himself strong for the house
on 2 Samuel 3:6-8
Abner is the power behind Ish-bosheth's throne, and Clarke reads his taking of Saul's concubine Rizpah as a claim on the kingdom itself, the same reading the narrator later gives Absalom's act at 16:22 and Adonijah's request for Abishag at 1 Kings 2:21-22. Ish-bosheth's question is timid rather than accusing, and Gill notes he had been the one strongly supported by Abner throughout the war just named in verse 6. Abner's answer, a dog's head, weighs every service he has done the house of Saul against one suspicion voiced by a king he privately despises.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:100%@v12-13
And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David,.... As long as that continued, as it did until the following quarrel happened between Ishbosheth and Abner: that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul; or was strongly in the interest of that house, and used his utmost endeavours to support and confirm it.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Render, “And it came to pass, while the war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted, that Abner assisted the house of Saul.”
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֗י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בִּֽהְיוֹת֙ | bihyot | when was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה | hamilchamah | <the> war | H4421 → | 320 times |
| בֵּ֚ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| וּבֵ֖ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| דָּוִ֑ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וְאַבְנֵ֛ר | veavner | and Abner | H74 → | 63 times |
| הָיָ֥ה | hayah | he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מִתְחַזֵּ֖ק | mitchazek | strengthening himself | H2388 → | 291 times |
| בְּבֵ֥ית | beveit | in [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| שָׁאֽוּל׃ | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
וַיְהִ֗יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בִּֽהְיוֹת֙when was
bihyotH1961 →3559 times
הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה<the> war
hamilchamahH4421 →320 times
בֵּ֚יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
וּבֵ֖יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
דָּוִ֑דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
וְאַבְנֵ֛רand Abner
veavnerH74 →63 times
הָיָ֥הhe was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
מִתְחַזֵּ֖קstrengthening himself
mitchazekH2388 →291 times
בְּבֵ֥יתin [the] house of
beveitH1004 →2046 times
שָׁאֽוּל׃Saul
shaulH7586 →402 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 12:30He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
it leads to
- Mark 9:40
For whoever is not against us is for us.
- Luke 11:23
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
- Joshua 24:15
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods…
- Luke 9:50
“Do not stop him,” Jesus replied, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
- Mark 9:40
Through
Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
it leads to
- Acts 5:39
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
- Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Jeremiah 9:23
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- Isaiah 14:27
The LORD of Hosts has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is outstretched, so who can turn it back?
- Acts 5:39
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited MonarchyDavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.
- PersonUnited monarchySaulIsrael's first king, head and shoulders above the people; began in humility, ended in rejection — sparing what God devoted, consul…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.