2 Samuel 3

2 Samuel 3:1

3:1-5 During David’s seven-and-a-half years at Hebron, his kingdom grew stronger while Saul’s house, ruled by Ishbosheth, grew weaker. David’s family also grew larger. When he first came to Hebron, he had two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. Contrary to God’s will, he married four moreMaacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah. By these six wives he had six sons, three of whom were to be a grief to himAmnon, Absalom, and Adonijah. (He had other sons later.) 3:6-11 While professedly serving Ishbosheth, Abner was actually strengthening his own political position because he saw the balance of power shifting to David. Ishbosheth accused Abner of having relations with Rizpah, a concubine of Saul, and probably interpreted this as an indication that Abner wanted to seize control of the eleven tribes. Whether Abner was guilty of this we do not know; he denied it vigorously and disrespectfully, and announced that he would transfer his allegiance and that of the tribes of Israel to David. Ishbosheth was powerless to resist. “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah?” (v. 8) means “Am I a worthless, contemptible traitor who has been loyal to Judah in the past?” 3:12-16 Abner now sent messengers . . . to David, offering to turn over all Israel to him. Before David would agree to Abner’s proposal, he demanded that Michal, Saul’s daughter, be returned to him, hoping thereby to strengthen his claim to Saul’s kingdom. Ishbosheth meekly assented and Michal was brought to Davidto the great grief of her husband, Paltiel. David’s personal life thus became further entangled, and another dark chapter was written in his biography. 3:17-21 Abner then went to the tribe of Benjamin and to the other tribes that had followed Ishbosheth and told them that David was God’s promised means of saving them from the oppression of the Philistines. Since their response was apparently favorable, he visited David and expressed his readiness to gather all Israel together in a great expression of allegiance. 3:22-30 While Abner was leaving David to carry out this plan, Joab returned to the royal house and heard of the day’s events. After rebuking the king for so foolishly entertaining a spy, he secretly sent out soldiers to bring Abner back. As soon as Abner . . . returned to Hebron, Joab pretended he wanted a private interview near the gate, but his real purpose was to kill Abner in revenge, which he did by stabbing him in the stomach, thus avenging his brother Asahel’s death and eliminating a potential rival as commander-in-chief. Joab seemed unconcerned that Hebron was a city of refuge, where Abner was at least entitled to a trial (Num_35:22-25). The expression “one . . . who leans on a staff” (v. 29) may mean a cripple. In the NASB it is rendered “one who takes hold of a distaff” (that is, an effeminate man). The RSV similarly translates “one who holds a spindle,” meaning unfit for war or heavy work. 3:31-39 David proclaimed a great time of mourning for Abner but took no action against Joab for murdering him. It grieved the king that Abner should have died so ingloriously, since his courage and power deserved a more honorable death. The thought in verse 33 may be, “Did Abner die like an inexperienced fool, who knew not how to defend himself?” And the intended answer is “No, he fell victim to a deceitful, wicked plot.” The people knew by the king’s sorrow that Joab had acted independently. In fact, David publicly expressed his displeasure at the cruelty of the sons of Zeruiah (Joab and Abishai) and called on the Lord to punish them. In chapter 3 we have seen God using the sin and intrigue of men to give the united kingdom to David. He makes even the wrath of men to praise Him (Psa_76:10).